Fallen
by Pokiepup
Summary: THIS IS ONLY A RE-POST of a story taken down a year ago, at the request of a reader. POV piece - M Rating. Angst. Dark Bo-Fic
1. AN

Hello Fae-Fam,

Firstly, this is just a re-post of a story long ago taken down at the request of a very patient reader. I thank you again for the support and remembering this story long after its time.

Secondly, just a quick note to those who do not follow me on twitter.

I apologize for vanishing from FF and social media without much word, but due to personal/family obligations it was unavoidable. I have quietly followed all of the Fae-Fam's great endeavors. I am so proud and honored to be a part of this community.

That being said, I would like to announce that I am following in the footsteps of so many of our great authors and will be soon releasing my own book. With huge thanks to rociotiny89 Brumbysowild somewhataddicte cindyB1017 and Magineli along with all of the community and fans who have stuck with me. Reading, reviewing, commenting, encouraging and supporting me from the start. This would not be remotely near possible without all of you.

So I say thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I hope that at least some of you are as excited as me in this endeavor.

I will be authoring under the name Addison Wolfe, and if anyone would care to follow me on twitter addywolfe26 I hope to have some more info about the book up soon if anyone would like to see them.

Thank you again,

Pokie


	2. Chapter

_**Chapter One: A Day In The Life—Day 1**_

 _ **5:47 a.m.**_

"That is lovely shared living space attire, really." I tilt my head up just enough to stare at him over the rim of my glasses. Forearms resting on the counter of the island, a forty-seven paged resting report in the middle of them.

"Shit!" he jumps spinning around, the door of the fridge hitting his back. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Case work, what are you doing?" I smirk, running my eyes over his body which happened to be covered in nothing more than a pair of black, jockey underwear better known as tighty-whities. Always pictured him as a boxers man—maybe even commando but this, this was just—a wonderful morning surprise.

"I was thirsty," he just stares at me like a deer in headlights. "Are we outta Gatorade?"

"We? I wasn't aware there was a we happening when it came to my fridge." I smirk and have to run my tongue along the points of my teeth to keep from laughing at the look he gives me.

"You're not very nice in the mornings Doc,"

"I expect to have quiet, alone time in the morning. Not find an over grown man child raiding my fridge that already has a hard enough time staying full due to your bottomless pit of a fiancée."

"Over grown man child?" his brows raise in the way only he can do, giving me that ' _the hell you say'_ look he tends to get. God it's sad that I know the looks he gets. After a moment he looks down at himself, eyes widening and I'm pretty sure he is blushing—too dark to tell. "Oh! My bad Doc, didn't even realize."

"Mm-hm," I nod and try not to look at him otherwise I know I'll give in and laugh.

"I normally wear boxers, I just—well see the thing is Lil Mama—"

"Nope. Stop right there, don't want to know the rest of that sentence."

"I'm just tryna say that I don't normally wear things this tight—you've given me physicals." he starts to do this supposedly subtle flexing as he steps out of the fridge. "Not that I'm ashamed of what I'm working with here, but it must a little uncomfortable for you. Mostly naked man in the kitchen in the wee hours of the morning who just happens to also be man candy—but taken."

"Hale, I'm a lesbian. I like women, strictly—as in no men at all. I'm also a doctor, one that has poked and prodded you on more than one occasion." My smirk grows as I slide off the stool, reaching out grabbing my mug of coffee. "You're also Kenzi's betrothed, I see you as a brother—" I nod, making a little bit of a disturbed face.

"But—still like a sexy badass right?"

"More—like an eunuch type." I have to turn away beginning toward the stairs otherwise I will undoubtedly bust out laughing at the look of pure horror coming over him.

"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Doc," I hear his heavy footsteps quickly following behind me. "Doc, you don't mean—"

"Oh yeah, I do. Basically a Ken doll to me," this time I have to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.

"Lauren, I'm not eunuch, ask Kenz." I just keep heading up the stairs leaving him at the bottom. "Doc, come on. Pick another word—go back to brother."

I just shake my head and press my lips tightly together hoping I can make it to my room before finally letting out my laugh that I had been holding for far too long, my sides beginning to hurt from doing so. Oh, God I had a mean sense of humor in the mornings. That'll teach him to intrude on my morning routine.

* * *

 _ **3:22 p.m.**_

"Oh, alright then." I say looking away from the horribly disturbing image of Dyson and Tamsin mid-kiss. Her sitting on my exam table with her legs wrapped around his waist, hands in his hair—not enough alcohol in the world to wipe this away. "I will get the hose." I continue walking in, tossing my folder on my desk, letting them compose themselves.

"Sorry," Tamsin let outs in that annoying little voice she tends to do with the matching face—still don't like her—can't bring myself to get past-get past our history. Clearing my throat shaking the memory from my mind I turn around to find her giving that little wave as if she was some doe-eyed, high-school, cheerleader.

"Going so soon?"

"Gonna miss me?" she spins around rising a brow and I have to resist the urge to toss my stapler at her.

"Would it kill you to be nicer to her?"

"This **is** me being nice," I turn back around to face him. "It is,"

"I've seen you be nicer to serial killers,"

"Well, I liked them better." I smirk and hand him the folder which he doesn't take right away but rather stares at me disapprovingly for a moment. "If it matters I only liked them a LITTLE bit better,"

"You've been hanging around The Morrgian too much,"

"Hasn't she? She's gotten mean," I try not to laugh at Hale's voice as he walks in, the sound of the door announcing his presence before his words. "Dys," he says pleasantly doing that manly hand slapping slash momentary holding thing—whatever happened to a handshake? He turns to me, smile vanishing as his eyes narrow. "Doctor Lewis."

"Are you two having a lovers quarrel again? Do you need to be alone?"

"She KNOWS what she did."

"Okay." He shakes his head looking back down to the folder beginning to flip through it—he isn't reading it. I don't know why he bothers to pretend.

"In there is the autopsy for those three most recent bodies, now I'm serious this time. Do NOT give me anymore work, I am falling behind on my own."

"The great Lauren Lewis cannot manage to multitask?" Hale tilts his head, pouting his lips. "Must be still on that human aging cycle, you know skills descending with every passing year."

"Keep it up," I smirk and give him the look that says that Dyson will find out exactly what I found him in this morning.

"Thanks Doc," Dyson blurts out, he has that ' _dog with a bone'_ look—guess he was really reading.

He smacks Hale on the arm with the folder before heading toward the door, Hale following though he makes sure to give me a scowl the entire time until they reach about five feet from the door when he turns around.

"I'm not eunuch," he whispers and I really would have been able to hold out on chuckling until he left had Kenzi not been walking right in behind him as Dyson slipped out. "Babe," he says and stares at her for a moment and she just returns the awkward look.

"See you tonight," she smiles and pats his arm before continuing in. "Why did he just say he wasn't wearing a tunic?"

I can't help but laugh, oh God what my life has become.

* * *

 _ **5:58 p.m.**_

"I distinctively remember saying that I was done." I grumble walking through the three inches and counting of snow to meet Hale and Dyson who were standing over something in the middle of the sidewalk. Tamsin out on the street next to several patrol officers and their cars. "Evony is going to be pissed." I say but this time the playful annoyance I had have previously has gone away.

"Something tells me she'll be okay with this," Dyson says refusing to look at me. "Here," he says handing me a pair of gloves, I can't see past them but I put the gloves on all the same.

"Here," Hale says softly, suddenly the goofy fight we've been having all day even in text messages seemingly forgotten. A thin piece of white printer paper, a new times roman font in twelve—maybe thirteen size—nothing that screams why these two are acting so weird.

Then I look down at the paper,

 _ **My name is Karen Beattie,**_

 _ **Ask me how I can solve this case.**_

"Let me see her," I say as they step apart.

I don't know what I was expecting—maybe something brutal but this—it was brutal in a sense but it wasn't what one would expect after a message like that. A girl who is pretty, blonde, and young—very young, maybe sixteen or seventeen. She wasn't completely stripped, just in a white teddy that was more for comfort than sexual appeal by the looks of it.

No defensive marks from first glance, but she shares the similarities of the other kills I had been working on for the boys. The look of pure terror on her face, as if she had been scared to death—I ruled that out several times already and this would most likely be no different.

"How did you know this would be a match for your two's case?"

"We didn't, Lil Mama got a call—from her. We were coming to meet her,"

"When did you get the call?" I ask kneeling down beside the body, gently turning her face to get a closer look.

"Forty minutes ago, give or take a few." Dyson says taking the letter from me.

"Well, whoever called you wasn't her. She has been dead for hours,"

"Doc, I ain't no genius but I been doing this detective thing for a bit awhile—someone would have noticed a dead kid in the middle of the sidewalk."

"Then maybe she was placed here, because I highly doubt someone was lucky enough to stumble upon a random girl walking around town in a nighty with no shoes. Killed her and just so happened to have a note all nicely type up."

"Touchy, touchy."

"Not now Tamsin." Dyson says in that low, gravely whisper he does.

"Her hyoid is broken from the feel, no marks though—doesn't make sense—even post mortem she should have marks of some kind."

"You think this could be—"

"Don't." I snap looking up at the blonde. "We aren't there yet."

"Come on, it's not like we all haven't been thinking it—beside read the fucking note—who other than—"

"I said NOT to go there." I snap again, tone growing harder as I stand to meet her gaze. "We are not THERE yet, when we are—I will inform you, until then why don't you go back to pretending to be a real detective."

"Doc," Hale says softly.

"Yeah," I nod, taking a deep breath and turn around walking back between the boys but not before hearing Tamsin's voice one last time.

"Someone has bring up the fact that there is a possibility this could be her,"

* * *

 _ **8:43 p.m.**_

"Come on! Kibble and Bit Investigations!" Kenzi argues. Mouth full of pizza, beer in her other hand as she leans against Hale and her feet are firmly under my thigh. "Come on, it's classic—it's a play on words. Kibble for D-man cause he's a dog—"

"A wolf." He laughs leaning against Tamsin on the couch opposite us, this last beer finally taking a toll on him-seven in an hour will do that too you.

"Whatever! You run around in the woods, shit on newspaper and are favorable to hitting it from the back—"

"I can vouch for that one." Tamsin interrupts raising her beer in the air—not very tactful but okay.

"Oh GOD!" Kenzi and Hale let out together, the four of them quickly shifting into the second stage of being drunk.

"Point is—dog equals Kibble. And I am tiny so I equal Bit. Kibble and Bit Investigations!"

"No." he says flatly, everyone falling silent by the harshness in his tone—then he suddenly busts out laughing causing everyone else to do the same, myself included.

"Fine. You pick a damn name then."

"It has been three and a half years—let it go." Tamsin pipes in and I have to take another drink, the sound of her voice annoying me beyond reason.

"We need a name though!"

"Kenz, we've managed this long without one—"

"Lo-Lo, sexy beast—tell the wolf and his little birdie that my name kicks major ass."

"I'm not in this,"

"Why?"

"Because no matter whether you name yourselves Kibble and Bit Investigations, Kick Ass Investigations or remain nameless as you have for the past almost four—count them, FOUR year-it's not going to change the end result," I pause taking a gulp of my beer, Dark Belch—stupid name but man was it addictive. "That I—someone who doesn't even work for said investigative service—will continue to solve ALL of your cases."

"Bitch!" Kenzi laughs, pulling her foot out to kick me. "It's kinda true." She lets out another laugh, kicking me once more before shoving her foot back under my thigh. "I'm still the most kickass out of all of ya'-but you DoctorHotPants—can remain the sexiest."

"Also the drunkest, Lil Mama. Lemme just take this from you before you start tryna come on to the Doc," he laughs trying to take her bottle from her.

* * *

 _ **11:39 p.m.**_

I stare out my semi iced over window looking out onto the street watching the relentless snow continue to fall. My shoulder pressing against the wall, arms folded over my chest. I hear a noise coming from my bed and instinctively I look, it's just Evony shifting—she gets restless when I leave in the middle of the night. A sigh coming through a sad smile I turn my attention back out to the street to watch the same guy who has been trying to get his car to start for the past twenty minutes.

Not that I took pleasure in his suffering, and I had half of mind to go down there and help but I just wanted something to focus on other than my own problems.

I know the idea of me and Evony is a conundrum wrapped in a riddle which happens to be wrapped inside of an enigma that also happens to be wrapped in another layer of a puzzle. We started at friends—another oddity but we just clicked.

Underneath all the layers of repugnant there was something that was almost gentle. There was something that understood the feelings I had hidden away and was scared to share with anyone—even myself at times. She could see that and she accepted the worst of me. I wondered from time to time if she started off like me and over time she just became what she was—maybe I would become that way too if I had lived for dozens of centuries.

It was nice to have a friend who did, who I could talk to about anything and well she was still Evony so friend or not sexual advances were always there.

The even bigger oddity was that she was patient. It's not like she waited around the past five years on pins and needles for me to come around but every so often she would let me know that she was still interested—in more than sex. Somewhere along the lines of friendship, loneliness and lust the lines got blurred.

Do I seem myself marrying her?

Of course not, but this was nice. She kept my bed warm, she kept me satisfied in more ways than one and surprisingly she kept my mind stimulated. I guess the term for us would be—loosely committed?

She hadn't been much of a fan of my rouge side project two years ago but she let it go—eventually—probably about the same time I began putting out.

I hadn't intended to do it—I was just bored one night and began thinking about things—Taft. I began to wonder if it was possible for Fae DNA to actually mix successfully with human DNA, I mean Dyson ate him minutes after so it wasn't like I could use him as a test subject. As it turns out I'm a bigger genius than I initially gave myself credit for.

It was six months before it took but it finally did, and well—the short end of it is that me and Kenzi are Fae now. That and Evony can parade me around being the only one to ever successfully do so—possibly another reason she let the issue go.

Woman loves the praises she gets for having me 'attached' to her.

Kenzi is Tizok, something simple yet powerful all at the same time. She has no real skills or abilities whichever you prefer to say but she does repel them. Not a single Fae power works on her, not Hale's or Vex's or even Evony's-she was pissed about that fact. Turns out our own DNA has a lot to do with what we can and cannot become—she didn't have many choices. Tizok or a shifter—no guarantees on what she would shift into so we went with the sure bet.

I on the other had taken a more aggressive approach, I had a few more options, and apparently my DNA is like the blood type O-all is welcomed-mostly. The most compatible was a succubi—HA. NEVER. Then came Evony's ability—Vex's ability—Tamsin's-oddly enough not Dyson's though. I had an old friend who popped up from time to time, she is dead now but she was a species of the feline, genus called the Blacktails, basically decedents from panthers—very rich in Native American history.

Haven't really took the abilities for a test drive—haven't had time but I'll get around to it.

Another major thing I never thought would happen was my close relationships with Kenzi, Dyson and Hale—well Hale was already a friend but now he was like a brother. Despite my teasing this morning he really did live here—kinda. He was here when I went to sleep, woke up, ate dinner—all day really when he wasn't working. I honestly don't know why he keeps his own place but that is something between him and Kenzi that I won't touch.

I bitch about it sometimes but I really did love having the two of them living here. Kenzi was an accident, after everything that had happened she couldn't stay at that apartment and I offered to let her stay a few nights—it's been nearly five years now.

Honestly though she had become the little, annoying sister I never had. We still fought—a lot, but it was nice and at the end of the day we always ended up on the couch joking about something or other. She reminded me—or rather forced me to not be so serious and I think I needed that.

At first I saw her as a baby duck that had imprinted on me after everything that happened with B-with everything. Not to mention Hale coming back from the dead—I've always wanted to ask if that is why she won't just allow him to live here officially or why they've been engaged for five years but something's aren't to be touched—for both of us.

Dyson was another one I could now consider a brother, I helped him break his one love for all time and suddenly he wasn't such a jackass—who would have thought. I guess being chained to a selfish-I am stopping myself there—no need to get into this now.

Tamsin though, I will never like nor will I ever trust her. Not in last life, not in this one and not in the next. She will never be anything more than something I have to tolerate because she is dating my so called big brother.

"Baby," I look over at the whisper, Evony's eye heavy as she tilts her head up from the pillow to look at me.

"Hey," I smile and walk over, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. There were times when she was so gentle, normally when she was waking or falling asleep. "It's late, go back to sleep." Speaking softly, running the back of my fingers over her cheek earning a small smile.

"What are you doing?"

"My brain is on overdrive working the case, can't re—"

"Rest until you put it together." She nods against the pillow with a blissfully sleepy smile. "Have I ever told you how brilliant you are?"

"When you aren't trying to show me off?" I raise a brow and she makes what is supposed to be a scowl. "Yes, babe—you have told me." Leaning down my lips gently find hers earning a quick response.

"Don't be too long, I need my cuddle buddy."

"Yes, ma'am." I push myself off the bed.

"God, that is unbelievably sexy when you say that. You sure you want to work and not—"

I turn back around upon reaching the window and she is already asleep. Guess it is a good thing I wasn't in the mood otherwise I would have been S.O.L. Laughing softly to myself I look back out of the window, this same guy still trying to push his car.

My mind wandering over to actual work—wonderful.

Seven bodies now, all the same M.O. only difference was none of them had been posed and there was never a note—let alone one that implicated me. There were never signs of a struggle and this was the first to have showed any signs of a physical altercation. They all had the look of pure terror, eyes void and icy—every single mineral in their body depleted. It was a conundrum—one that I would have took an odd pleasure in solving but the more that showed up the more the inevitability of knowing who this was grew.

Despite my distaste for that—Valkyrie, I knew she was right this afternoon.

I just didn't want to hear it aloud—I still don't.

I wasn't stupid nor in denial—not anymore—that time had passed. I just held onto the tiny hope, that there was another explanation—I suppose today's find was going to discredit that notion though.

I just have to admit to myself what I've known since this started….

…..it was Bo…..

….she was back…..


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Two: What Really Happened That Night**_

 _ **(Lauren's POV)**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **5 Years Ago**_

" _Are you okay?" I look behind myself at Kenzi's whisper to Hale, my hand on Dyson's shoulder as he takes point leading us through the darkness of the maze that was this abandoned building so many memories of the Gurruda rushing back._

 _Difference then was we had Bo leading us rather than being the one we were hunting._

 _It was a valid question considering he had only risen from the dead four days ago thanks to some horrific deal Kenzi had made with the Norn, she won't tell anyone what she gave up but—it must have been something big. I know a little about the Norn, a little about horrific deals and I know that the few Fae who can bring back the dead require another life in exchange—a necessity in order to keep a so called natural balance._

 _I wanted to ask her about it but—we aren't that close._

" _I'm fine." He says almost snapping at her._

 _He hasn't been himself but then again who can blame him, whether he knows what she gave up is another mystery all in itself. I gave him a thorough physical, twice and he is himself but—different—I guess everyone is a bit different as of late._

" _Do you hear that?"_

 _"No, we don't. You know why? Because we aren't bloody wolves, we have normal hearing." Vex blurts, his grip on my arm tighter than need be but it was comforting in a weird way. I knew he was afraid—we are all afraid._

" _This is a bad fucking idea."_

" _Should we run?" I snap at Tamsin who is—or at least should be holding onto Vex in some way._

" _We came to get Bo," Kenzi the next to snap and I guess she pulled on Tamsin since there is a chain reaction, each of us getting tugged backward by a step. "Whether we have to knock her delusional ass out of what—we are bringing her back."_

 _It had been two weeks since Hale died. Ten days since Bo completely lost her mind—not a single one of us know exactly what happened but one morning she was the new normal of Rainer loving insane and then she just sort of snapped. Beat the shit out of Tamsin which I don't mind and Dyson—I sort of cared about that one. Then she up and vanished, no amount of Evony's nor Trick's reach could locate her—till this afternoon. Seven days since the bodies have begun turning up, all succubi kills. Four days since Hale did his Lazarus impression. Two days since we began to wonder whether or not Tamsin could be trusted. Three hours since we concocted this half-assed plan of rescue. One hour since we had our little ambush by zombies—yes actual zombies. Twenty minutes of wandering around in the dark looking for a woman who wanted nothing to do with any of us._

 _Had I thought about it like this at any of these key points in the past two weeks—I would not have come._

 _She didn't want us, didn't want me. She turned her back on all of us for her—destiny?_

 _I had to laugh, I can remember three different occasions lying in bed together when she fed me some bullshit about how we were destiny. Guess destiny doesn't mean the same thing to her as it does the rest of the world._

" _We're close I can smell—" Dyson is cut off by several things that seemingly all happen at once—it takes me a second to wrap my mind around it._

 _The sound of debris falling onto the ground and echoing through the long hall. The sound of a growl from Dyson—from someone else. The sound of his body slamming into and then through wall with seemingly little to no effort. The sound of my own pain filled groan as I slam into the wall, a pop following as my wrist hits against the ledge of the new hole—a consequence of not letting go of his jacket. The sound of Vex and Tamsin's grumbles as they tumble forward into one another and then finally myself._

" _Bloody hell!" Vex pushes himself off me as quick as he can. "Are you alright?"_

" _I'm fine. I'm fine." I lie, it's broken—most likely badly with the pain I'm feeling. Blood running down my arm but—can't think about that—have to think about Dyson._

 _Tamsin, Hale, Kenzi all run forward to find the opening further down the wall, the light seeping through the Dyson shaped hole allowing us to move without the buddy system. Vex looks at me and I know what he is silently asking me, he is asking if I want to run—telling me we could go and it would be okay._

 _I couldn't._

 _I couldn't leave them all here to die-I couldn't leave Bo here—I was disgusted with her at the moment but I still loved her. I still hold out hope that we can bring her back from this—whatever this is._

 _Shaking my head I push passed him to follow the others not looking back to see if he is following. A single step passed the threshold of the doorway and I'm slamming into the wall breaking Kenzi's fall. The back of my head smacking into the stone wall but as much pain as there is I know I kept Kenzi from having a devastating collision._

 _She groans as she rolls off me, my eyes finding Bo holding a struggling Hale against the wall right next to the Dyson shaped hole. Tamsin on the floor a few feet away but what I don't understand is why she isn't jumping up to help him. Or Dyson who Rainer has by the throat at least two feet off the ground, a gargle coming from him as he struggles against the hold._

" _Bo he's killing him," I groan out but I don't put my faith in her as I am already pushing myself off the ground running the short distance to—aid Dyson._

 _I get him to let go of Dyson but not the way I was hoping. He drops the wolf as he effortlessly tosses me into the opposite wall, a simple swing of his arm all it took. I try and push myself back up this time the difficulty is tenfold, suddenly the realization of just how bad my wrist is—a groaning followed by a whimper when I try to use my hand to push myself up._

 _Coughing a mouthful of blood I look behind myself to see Bo who had Kenzi by the shoulders tossing her down on the floor, not even a hint of hesitation for the wellbeing of the woman she once called a sister. Using the wall in combination with my legs and one good hand I manage to bring myself to my feet, the abrupt realization that we had made a grave error coming here._

 _Dyson is as far into his wolf nature as he can be without turning but every blow he manages to land seem to do nothing to Rainer—I don't understand how we could have miss judged this so badly. Kenzi runs at Bo again as Hale tries to grab her from behind but she kicks off the youngest of us, that sending her and Hale slamming back into the wall._

 _I look at Tamsin who stands off to the corner just—watching. She looks so conflicted but even with the beating we're taking she doesn't move and I can't understand why._

 _I don't have time to focus on that—the thought that we need abandon Bo quickly becoming a realization. We weren't equipped to handle both of them—nor did we ever expect Bo to respond this way toward us—toward Kenzi._

 _I hear a crack, a growling scream overlapping it and my eyes shift from Tamsin back to the duo in front of me. One hand holding a slumping over Dyson by the back of his neck, the other rose in the air preparing to deliver what would undoubtedly be the death dealing blow._

 _I didn't think I just reacted. I leaped forward jumping onto Rainer's back, arms wrapping around his neck, legs around his waist jerking him—us away from Dyson who falls into a ball on the floor._

" _Lauren!" Tamsin finally joins the party, practically growling my name as she runs toward us. A little late but fine._

 _Rainer manages despite my hold to kick out, the Valkyrie flying back as we stumble backward. Once again me being the one to slam into the wall but I haven't quite figured out what my next step is so I hold onto him for dear life like a drowning cat. He throws us back once, twice more but I can't let go._

 _My eyes firmly on Bo who is quickly winning the struggle with Hale, Kenzi now another motionless lump on the floor. It was never a good thing when the only team-member left standing was a human—who never fights._

 _Where the hell was Vex?_

 _I watch as Bo drops him, walking to Tamsin who was starting to stand. A backhanded slap to her face before grabbing her by the face and throwing her into the wall._

 _My attention shifting to my own wellbeing as he finally grabs my forearms pulling them apart, another snap and another scream filling this small room. My legs slip from their hold, feet not even touching the ground before he flings me around through the air._

 _Slamming into the wall, my mind fading out momentarily and had his hand not grabbed my throat with such force I'm sure I would have passed out._

 _I know that when being straggled, suffocated you are not supposed to panic—don't struggle pointlessly and you're chances of survival increase by thirty-five percent. But I couldn't help the way my feet kicked as he had me lifted several inches off the ground. Nor could I help the way my left hand grabbed at his wrist while the right as his face completely forgetting about the pain or the further damage I was causing myself._

 _I could see everything yet focus on nothing. Hale, Kenzi, Dyson all just slumps on the floor now—Tamsin struggling against Bo—a Bo who seemed to have a lot more strength then she should—an answer for that currently eluding me._

" _Bo-he's gonna kill her!" I hear Tamsin's God awful annoying voice, my vision starting to blur. I think Rainer says something to me but I can't make it out—I'm being strangled to death and I can still make out Tamsin's voice above anything else—a cruel irony. "He's killing her!"_

" _Rainer!" my peripheral vision begins to blacken. "Rainer! Let her go!" I think that's Bo's voice—can't tell—why would it be though? "Rainer!"_

 _I feel his grip tighten, mind slipping further from consciousness—from life—everything going black._

 _It's over—it's all over._

 _My eyes fly open, to find Bo's staring into mine and for a moment I don't remember where I am—for a moment I see the Bo I'm in love with._

 _Then I notice the void that I'm staring into. I notice the pain plaguing my body. I notice that my injuries aren't as bad as they were moments before. I notice I'm on the floor. I notice that Rainer is starting to push himself off the ground behind her._

 _Did she just save me?_

" _What are you doing?"_

" _I told you to stop." She says rising to her feet, turning to face him. "I told you that we aren't killing them."_

" _And I won't-the rest anyway. The wolf, the human—they are standing between us, while they are alive we will never truly be free. Isn't that what you want my love, freedom?"_

" _You aren't touching her."_

" _Bo-I AM your destiny and you are mine. I would never allow anyone to come between us, I love you, don't you know that?"_

" _I do,"_

 _"Then it is time you prove that."_

 _I can't see his face or hers for that matter, all I can see is her back. I can't tell their expressions or movements really but his voice has dropped significantly to gentle and pleading. He takes two steps forward as he speaks and all I can think about is how Bo's voice went from stone to putty._

 _Rolling from my side onto my back, I stare into Dyson's eyes. They are open but he isn't there—not completely—I think his entire ribcage is broke in which case he is barely breathing. He needs medical attention—my words earning a broken chuckle. WE ALL NEEDED medical attention._

" _Step aside and let me finish this," his voice soft, and I hear her footsteps._

 _A surge of pain cutting through my heart. I reach out, fingers resting on Dyson's hand. For years we fought each other for this woman and now we were both about to die from her willingness to allow her so called destiny, some insane freak she has known for weeks? God, irony was a bitch._

 _I feel him stand over me but I don't look. I watch as Dyson tries to move—a hero till the end._

 _I made my peace though; there was no making it out of this. Maybe there never was—maybe it was better this way for all involved._

 _I feel him reaching down hand closing in on my throat-then it's gone._

 _I turn my head and I can't quite comprehend what I'm witnessing. Bo's eyes icily blue, far more than I had ever seen—so much so it hurts to look at them. Her hands gripping Rainer's face so tight where her fingertips are blood is escaping. His chi flowing into her in a steady stream—she can't handle that much._

" _Jesus!" I can't help but groan out at the pain as I sit up, rolling onto all fours before pushing myself up._

 _But it's too late, as I stand he falls—it's done._

 _I just stare at her almost as if we've been frozen in time. I can't look in her eyes so I focus on her cheekbones. She wasn't Bo anymore—everything is different—I can feel it. I mean she had been off this whole time but if I looked hard enough, searched long enough and put my anger aside I could still see my Bo in there. Now-now this was—something beyond Bo—beyond a succubus._

" _Bo," I say softly, she just tilts her head as if she doesn't recognize her own name. I take a step closer cautiously, hands held up to mid chest trying to show her I wasn't a threat. "It's okay—we're here to help. I promise you—we only want to help you." I take another step, she still doesn't move. "Do you recognize me?" one more step and she still doesn't react. "It's me—it's Lauren—"_

 _I reach out to touch her arm but find my wrist grabbed with one hand, the other slamming into my chest as she slams me back into the nearest wall. Never letting go of my wrist she keeps it pressed against the wall and I'm sure it'll snap any moment but her other hand is around my throat and I'm more concerned with that._

" _Baby, listen to me." I let out and I can feel the tears slipping down my cheeks without warning. "It's me, it's Lauren. I know that you remember me—remember what I mean to you otherwise you wouldn't have—" her grip tightens earning a whimper. "Bo—it's me. I've seen you like this before—you've always come back to me—you can do it again—you always find a way back to me."_

 _Her head tilts once more, looking me over and though her grip doesn't release it also doesn't tighten—progress. I'm losing feeling in my arm, my chest heavy and I can hardly see through my tears but it doesn't matter—I need her to come back to me—to us._

" _You want destiny Bo—that's it? That no matter what you always find your way back to each other—that's us. Re—remember that night in your bed, you just wanted to hold me—for hours you just listened to my heart—you didn't speak—didn't sleep but just listened—you looked up suddenly and told me you didn't believe in fate until you met me. Call it fate, call it destiny, I was yours—well I still am baby—you just need to remember."_

 _I nod against her hold, another whimper escaping at my free falling tears, the memory more painful than anything I had suffered tonight._

" _I love you Bo and I know you still love me-all you have to do is come back to me."_

 _Her eyes fade—it's slight but I can tell. Her grip loosening around my throat as she completely releases my wrist. I nod again, reaching up to touch her cheek—she doesn't jerk away. Her eyes are near normal, tilting ever so slightly into my touch._

 _Suddenly she is jerked back, eyes burning blue in an instant. My scream overlapping the snap as I watch Vex fall to the floor with a heavy thud. Her attention snapping back to me and I can't help but to flinch, an anger washing over her features as she picks up on this._

" _Come with me." I stare at her, eyes widening and while I don't recognize this woman—she is less primal now. The sound of stampeding footsteps echoing down the hall. She looks behind herself and then back to me, her eyes their deep, brown and I feel like I can't breathe. "Come with me Lauren," she repeats, a plea—as much as she can manage now._

 _"Rule with me—together we will reign this world and the next—we can have everything." She grabs my face, and I jerk again but she doesn't notice—maybe doesn't care. Her forehead resting against mine, eyes staring into my own—through me. It was supposed to be tender but I've never felt colder—never more repulsed than this moment. "We can be free for once, no rules—no obstacles—I can give you the world."_

 _She leans in lips grazing mine and I let my mind pretend to be somewhere else. This she does notice—jerking back, nothing but pure rage engulfing her features—her eyes. I would have bet anything she was about to kill me—that I was about to die at her hand._

 _But she backs away from me slowly, stepping on Rainer's body as she does but doesn't speak. Doesn't attack—not even Tamsin who is pushing herself onto her knees and she looks like she has made peace with the fact she is about to die—Bo side steps her. Reaching the hall, the echoes of footsteps growing louder but she just stares through me._

 _This wasn't the love of my life—this wasn't MY Bo._

 _I close my eyes, tears slipping through and when I open them she is gone. I force myself to turn away, rushing to Vex's side, dropping to my knees praying that I hadn't heard, hadn't seen right._

" _Is he dead?"_

" _No—it's normal for someone's head to do a three-sixty." I snort, hand resting on his chest as I look over to her. "What kind of asinine question is that to ask?! Does he look alive?! Does he look like he is breathing?! GOD!" I can't help but sob, body beginning to tremble—looking back down to him. "Why?! I had her! You're always a selfish fucking asshole! Why today?! Why!" I scream hitting his chest with my hand, tears turning to actual sobs._

 _Finally I just collapse, head resting on his chest—praying that I would heart a heartbeat._

" _Doctor Lewis?" I look up at the male's voice, some guy who looked as though he should be in the UFC rather than standing here looking down at me as if I was something so pathetic he wouldn't scrape it off the bottom of his shoe. "It is my job to escort you home safely."_

" _Do I know you?" I snort, wiping my face against my shoulder. My hands firmly gripping Vex's shirt._

" _Get up and come with me."_

" _Get up and come with you?" I snort through a laugh. "I'm sure you are big and scary and could kill me in a heartbeat. I'm sure it gives you great pleasure to know that—but I am having a really, really bad night—so how about you show me a little fucking compassion and tell me who the hell you are!"_

" _My name is Devack." He grumbles, glaring at me as though I should tremble at his presence. "He called The Morrgian and alerted her to what you were doing. We are here to make sure you are returned safely to her." He turns to look down at Tamsin who doesn't speak but awaits his words, as if she knows him. "The Morrgian has also instructed me to bring you in—dead or alive. She is very displeased with your failure."_

" _Failure?" I let out in a low rumble._

" _My orders were to watch you, to protect you. ONLY you,"_

" _You—" my jaw locks on its own preventing what was about to come out next. Taking a breath, swallowing back some of the building rage. "I thought you weren't under her supervision anymore."_

" _It's complicated."_

" _It's complicated?" I snort again, shaking my head. "Well—thanks, you did a hell of a job. Get your hands off me!" I yell jerking away from his attempt at grabbing my arm. "My friends need attention—"_

 _"I am here for you and Tamsin—that is all."_

" _Well, how about this—you help them or—"_

 _"Or what?" he barks staring down into my eyes._

" _Or—or—nothing—I can't do anything obviously," I chuckle looking over the destruction that surrounded me._

" _Doctor Lewis," he says causing me to look up but this time he holds his hand out for me, a certain gentleness in his eyes. "I too know the weight of losing people in battle," his words soft as if only for me to hear as he pulls me up. "It's best to move on as soon as possible."_

" _Have you lost family?" I ask softly, stray tears slipping down my swollen cheeks. "Have you lost someone you love?" he looks at me, features softening a bit more and all I get is a subtle shake of his head. "Then with all due respect, don't tell me how to feel."_

 _I limp past him pausing as five men who all look so similar to Devack walk in. I watch as they each literally scoop up a motionless body as if they weighed nothing. I suppose they really could have been a help earlier. I don't move, waiting to make sure they would carry them out to safety—I wasn't stupid—I've been played one too many times._

 _Once each one is out I begin following, stopping to face Tamsin. It wasn't a thought or intentional but my fist slams into her jaw. It hurt me probably as much as her, I wasn't left handed but it's what I had to work with. She stumbles a step back into the wall, she looks up to me and I can see how badly she wants to react but whether it be Evony's orders or Devack's presence she doesn't dare move._

" _For as long as I live—I will **never** forgive you." My words low, my throat rasp now but there is nothing there that suggests it is an idle threat. A certain unexpected fear in her eyes as I walk out into the hall leaving her to be dealt with. _


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Three: I Won't -Day 2**_

 _ **(Shared POV)**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **Lauren's POV**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **5:27 a.m.**_

"Babe,"

My eyes flutter open but this time I don't jerk up, maybe it's the soft lull of her voice or the fact her hand is resting on my chest. Normally after dreams—nightmares rather like that I jerk up, occasionally screaming and disoriented but from time to time she can tether me to reality, the reality that reminds me those are just nightmares—just memories of another life.

She is resting propped up on her right arm, the fingertips of her left hand idly running over my sweat coated chest. I look up into her eyes, the eyes that most would see as the eyes of a killer—I just see the eyes of a soul broken—I see the resemblance when looking in the mirror myself.

"Tromlui again?"

Tromlui, the Celtic word for nightmare and also the chosen Dark Fae word for-well nightmare as well but more specifically the ones when your Dawning is near.

It wasn't unreasonable for her to ask that, every night for the past six months had been plagued with nightmares of my own memories of Bo, of that night—of the little killing spree she went on before disappearing into the night never to be heard of again. Had to give it to her, she went through bodies like she was competing for a medal. Not just humans or low level Fae either. Vex, Devack and his whole team, a few runners up for the position of the Ash. She never did come back after us though, never tried Evony. She never admitted it but I think there was always a fear there, maybe instinctual—maybe she just never wanted to test a twenty-five hundred year old, Dark Fae.

When those memories weren't invading my mind I found myself reliving memories of Ayasha's glory days, I guess when I mixed her DNA with mine there were some unforeseen side effects. Evony says it's the effect of the Dawning nearing; you begin reliving things you've done, memories that have stuck with you for one reason or another—normally the ones you wish you could forget. Problem was, I wasn't a Blacktail long enough to make my own Fae nightmares, haven't even explored my nature yet so I guess I'm stuck with hers.

"Yeah," I let out in a sigh, reaching up and resting my hand over hers. She didn't need to know if it was my own or Ayasha's memory, either way they were nightmares. "Did I wake you again?"

"No, no." she shakes her head, gentle smile pulling at her lips. "Maybe a little, but it's fine. I've had centuries of sleep."

"You're sweet."

"Aren't I?" her right eyebrow raises as she leans down just a little. "I just want you to remember what a pain staking, conscious effort it is to actually be sweet," taking a breath, nodding slightly as she dips her head a little lower. "I think that my suffering deserves a little-"

"A little?" tone growing playful, my own eyebrow raising as my free hand slides up her shoulder to the back of her neck. "Since when do you only want a little?"

"I'm being sweet remember." her smile transitions to a smirk, tone a little more like the Evony everyone knows—it can be sexy at times.

"Well you should stop being so sweet," my nails teasing the back of her neck. "And be a little more," tilting my head up off of the pillow, nipping her bottom lip.

"Evil?" I can't help but giggle and roll my eyes at her, none the less I repeat my previous action.

"I was going to say—sexual."

"Well my little Disco Queen," I can't help but chuckle, pressing my nails in a little harder at her 'pet-name' for me. "That can be arranged." She leans in, lips covering mine softly.

A series of gentle, teasing kisses. Her hand sliding out from under mine, across my chest and over my shoulder till it's on the mattress. Each kissing lasting longer than the last as she slides one leg over my body until she is straddling me, my own hands going to the middle of her back. With Bo I used to love to hold her by the hips but then again she had very, very nice hips—she had curves. Evony had curves just not like Bo does so my hands tend to wander a bit more.

Making a noise unconsciously bringing my mind away from Bo back onto Evony-she wasn't a succubus but she had a sense about these things. She always seemed to be able to tell just how aroused I was, where my mood stood, if my mind was wandering off—maybe she just paid that much attention to me.

Hands jumping up into her hair pulling her head down as she tried to pull back, my lips crashing into hers. Skipping over the quote unquote foreplay, my tongue slips passed her lips and soon enough she forgets all about my momentary hesitation.

"OH SHIT!" the kiss stops at the sound of Hale's terrified yelp, tongues retreating but she doesn't pull away though she does make a sound that makes me giggle. "I um—"

"Perhaps I should leave a sock on the door next time." Her right eyebrow shooting up, irritated smirk on her lips when she leans up, though I think given the still semi-playful nature of her words they're meant for me. "Is there something we can help you with, or did you mistake our room for your own?" she asks looking over her shoulder at him, and I know my attention should be on him but my eyes stay on her fac. Did she just say our room?

"I need the Doc,"

"She is busy."

"She is gonna wanna hear this."

"What happened?" she snaps and I see his features twitch. "Well speak up boy."

"I'll be down stairs in a minute." I say softly, tilting my head to give him a little smile. "You don't have to snap at him—or everyone." My eyes shifting back to hers once the door shuts behind him.

"He wasn't telling me what I wanted to know."

"Ask nicer and maybe he would have."

"I have a very, very little section of my day reserved for niceness and it's really only for you. If I was to use it on your freeloading, misplaced, rejected Fae—then I will have to be a bitch to you and I just don't think that will get me anywhere."

"That was an unnecessary shot at them," I say flatly, starting to push her off me.

"Oh come on, I offered each one of the little moochers a reprieve didn't I?" I slide off the bed, stopping to glare at her. "I didn't even kill Tamsin."

"Yeah, I know." I try not to sound so disappointed but what's the point?

"Would you like me to kill her? I could, I could make it whole event in your honor."

"No, Evony I am not ordering an execution."

"Ordering hm?"

"You know what I mean." I say shaking my head as I grab my scrub pants off the chair in the corer closest to the window.

"I know," she says and I can hear her crawling off the bed, little footsteps behind me before her arms wrap around my waist. "But it sounds so sexy when you give me orders."

"Evony," I say flatly, turning around in her embrace. My scrub top hanging from my hand since she is actively preventing me from dressing—nothing new.

"I offered them a spot for you, they refused it—that isn't my fault." Her tone hard and The Morrgian is beginning to shine through now rather than Evony.

"You literally and I quote said—'I would like to continue getting some from Lauren, so I'm going to offer you pathetic excuses for Fae a chance to switch from the pussy-ass Light to join some real Fae—hope you all can untuck your baby sausages long enough to not embarrass me,'." She turns away laughing, hands leaving my body to cover her face trying to muffle her laugh. "What?"

"First, fine I admit that may have not been the best approach to offering them a reprieve."

"And secondly?" I raise an eyebrow as I pull the scrub top over my head, I look down and realize I have my navy bottoms and the black top on—oh well, I'm a doctor not Beyonce. I look back up to find Evony slipping back into her red dress from last night I don't know why she won't keep clothes here—I have some at her apartment.

"You sound adorable when you swear."

"What?"

"You can't swear babe."

"I can totally swear."

"No," she says flatly, pulling the bedroom door back open before looking at me again. "You really, really can't."

I run my hand through my hair and take a breath, realizing that when I went downstairs I was back in reality. I guess in some aspects I was already back to the cruel reality of life when we began talking about the so called offer of reprieve for the boys.

I honestly couldn't believe the day that Hale Santiago was banished from the Light Fae, and not a finger lifted from his father. Something about how coming back from the dead was unnatural and an unwelcomed practice of the Light. Dyson on top of his vocal disapproval for the matter also had the failure of his battle with Rainer hanging over him which apparently was frowned upon by the Elders. Honestly I think it was the fact that he loved Bo that bothered them so much and they saw him as a liability. Both were displaced and tossed out on their asses—I know that feeling.

Taking another breath I head out after her, dragging my feet a bit in no hurry to find out what I needed to know so badly. Coming out from behind the cover of the wall, taking three steps down the stairs I already get an uneasy feeling.

One couch facing me was Kenzi and Hale fully dressed jackets and all while Evony stood at the corner of the other, her own heels and jacket on. But perhaps the most alarming of this all was the two people who were missing and the extra one who was here.

Both Dyson and Tamsin nowhere to be found, they were normally here. Well he was normally here, sort of lived here—not like Hale but he was known for the occasional sleep over. If something had happened they should have been here—unless something happened to them.

My eyes shift to Drake, Devack's brother. Me and Devack actually became very close in those three months before he died. He was a gentle soul who had just been broken down and resorted to anger—I guess birds of a feather deal we had going on here. Once he died his brother Drake came back from Africa to avenge his death but ended up staying.

He was a sweet kid—HA, I say kid as if he isn't five centuries older than me. He was like a teenager though, sort of like a dog in a way. He just wanted to be loved, have attention and if you gave it to him you could get him to do almost anything.

He stood at six two, weighing two-hundred and sixty pounds of pure muscle. His complexion I would say was a medium to light tone—though now he seems to have gotten a serious tan—or hasn't taken a bath in a long while after rolling around in the mud. What stood out about him most other than his array of tattoos were his bright blue eyes. If I was straight and a bit younger and didn't think of him like a son I would defiantly be interested.

"When did you get back in town?" I ask a little upset he hadn't informed me.

"I didn't have time—I was tracking her." His normally smooth voice riddled with gravel. "She lost me for a bit but—I heard that she was coming here and I had to come and make sure you were okay."

"She is fine." Evony says folding her arms over her chest.

"I thought I had her—I thought she had you." His features soften, as he takes three steps toward me. "I was too late though."

"Hey, hey—it wasn't me." I say gently walking over to him and pulling him into a hug. I catch Evony rolling her eyes at us, she never did understand my and his relationship—I guess me a forty year old woman seeing a five hundred year old Fae as a son was a little unusual but that was all there was between us. Besides when had anything in my life been anything but unusual.

"She killed them—all of them." He says pulling back, no tears but his features so soft.

"Who?"

"She pulled an Alfie. Killed eight of the ten Light Fae Elders tonight." Hale says standing as Kenzi follows.

"I understand this is a shit storm but what I'm not getting why anyone here cares? In case you haven't notice me and blubber boy over there are Dark. Lauren will be Dark, Pigmy is going to be Dark if she wants to continue having all of the perks. And you have been disowned—along with your Brokeback buddy,"

"There is something you want to see there." Drake says softly, though his eyes are shooting daggers at Evony.

"If you want more work Lauren, I'll find you some. Leave the Light assholes alone."

"There is another threat on her life, I think she deserves the right to see it." Kenzi blurts out and I want to throw something at her.

"Another?" Evony looks at me, her stone 'The Morrgian' face on, but I see the hurt in her eyes.

"She didn't tell you? What a surprise." Kenzi snorts walking out from between the couch and table, tapping Drake on the shoulder and nodding toward the door for him to follow her. Hale glares at Evony before following the two out leaving me to deal with the angry woman they've created.

"It wasn't a threat." I say softly, eyes locked on her face as she begins walking toward me.

"Let me be the judge of that."

* * *

 _ **8:02 a.m.**_

We walk into this mansion, the actual definition of a mansion. If you would combine MTV Cribs and HGTV you still wouldn't be able to find a place as extravagant—maybe I just don't watch enough reality television.

We only have to step into the wide open front door to find dozens of officers scattered around—all Fae. Dyson and Tamsin off to the side talking—no arguing about something. This huge space which I guess would be the walk in hall—that was the size of my apartment, eight bodies placed all over the floor, white sheets covering them. What was out of place was the body in the middle of the 'room'—this one seems posed. The rest were scattered, as if they tried fighting—running even.

This one was just placed front and center—begging for attention.

I don't bother with gloves—what did it matter we all know who did this now—pulling the sheet off to find another young girl. This one identical to the last except she was completely stripped—hand print on her throat.

"Ready to admit it's your ex-love muffin yet? Or shall we continue to dance on eggshells not to upset your sensitive-" Tamsin runs her mouth as she walks over to me but I guess Evony's presence knocks her down a peg or two.

"Give me that." Evony says almost snarling her words as she walks passed me to the blonde and rips the paper away.

 _ **My name is Sarah Walker,**_

 _ **Ask me how I can solve this case.**_

"How does she even know this alias?"

"How do you?" I snap at Tamsin's implication taking the paper from Evony.

"I don't like your implication."

"And I don't like yours."

"I'm just saying what people are thinking."

"Is that so? Dyson are you thinking I'm giving Bo secrets about my past so she can kill people and write my aliases on them? No? What about you Hale?" I look from them back to her. "I guess it's just you with this new level of idiocy."

"Just doesn't add up, how you refuse to once entertain the idea that it was her, in fact you still haven't. Now bodies are dropping with little notes all with your nameS on them. I mean we're jumping to the idea that this is some type of threat—maybe it's just her letting us know you aren't all that innocent. What? She wants you to leave your cushy little life and you don't wanna?"

"Oh yeah, you got me. We're having a torrid affair because it's not like Drake has been chasing her through Africa and Asia or that I have been here helping your boyfriend with these cases."

"Helping—or slowing down?"

"Watch yourself." Evony says flatly, but it's soft no one beyond the three of us able to hear.

"Let's not," I say in the same tone as hers. "I don't need you to come to my rescue. Don't feel obligated to say anything," I hand her the note. "I know we're in public." I don't bother to wait for her reaction or anyone elses for that matter as I turn and walk back out, hand grabbing Drake's arm as I give him a little pull to follow me.

* * *

 _ **4:22 p.m.**_

"Hey," I say softly shutting the door to her office behind me.

"Doctor Lewis, how nice of you to grace me with your presence."

"I was working in the lab, going back over the bodies trying to find something that would be considered a lead."

"Hiding from me or trying to come up with something to prove you aren't still socializing with your ex?" she lets the pen fall from her hand onto the desk, looking up at me for the first time.

"I don't need to prove anything to anyone; I haven't seen her or heard from her in years. Something about her going around killing my friends and trying to rule the world just didn't do it for me anymore."

"Then hiding from me," she says flatly—I know she is pissed about what I did. I don't blame her I was out of line on so many levels.

I put on my best smirk, slowly walking over to her. Though she is pissed—hurt to some degree her eyes remain locked with my own. Walking around the desk I stand in front of her waiting for her to turn to me as I know she will—takes seven heartbeats instead of the three I was accustomed to but the again I did embarrass her in public.

Kneeling down resting on the balls of my feet, hands resting on her bare knees. Fingertips moving over her skin teasingly. My eyebrow raising as I give my best sexy pout.

"I am very sorry for what I did."

"Don't apologize, it's unbecoming of you."

"It's the thing to do when you care that you upset someone."

"If you're that hellbent on apologizing then," her lips curl into a smirk, her legs beginning to open and close slightly despite my lazy hold.

"That is all you want?" I ask holding them open, her eyes widening in surprise. "Don't want to yell at me? Punish me? Publicly humiliate me?"

"No,"

"Well then, I guess I was worried for nothing then." I smile, leaning down kissing the side of her knee all the while I keep her gaze.

It didn't happen often but every once and a while I could surprise her. Could do something that made her just stop and give me the look she is giving me now. I remember that look, Bo used to get it. She got it a lot those few days I was trying to prove I could be enough for her.

I place another kiss a little higher closing my eyes trying to shake the thought—the image of Bo from my mind. I go to place another but find her curled fingers under my chin bringing my head up. A soft smile, a smile that I don't normally see outside of my or her apartments.

"Do you think I value you so little?" she asks and I pull back a bit completely taken back by her words.

"What?"

"I am a bitch in every sense of the word, I am a murder, and there is no doubt that I have a special place in hell waiting for me that is long overdue," her hand slides to cup my cheek. "But I will not degrade you to some common slut."

"Evony I—"

"I know," she leans forward. "I am—I find you—to me—you are special to me Lauren." She leans in and gently kisses my lips. Its sweet and soft—in public more or less—I don't know what is happening.

"You're special to me too." I say when she pulls away, a smile coming over her face.

* * *

 _ **10:33 p.m.**_

"Enjoy yourself." I say leaning down a bit getting close enough for Kenzi to hear me over the blaring music.

"I would if we didn't bring her."

"She is who brought us."

"Ditch her."

"Kenzi," I huff giving her a scowl and she gives me one right back before rolling her eyes and heading off to find Hale or Dyson or Tamsin or Drake—anyone really that wasn't Evony who is walking toward us—well me now.

"Pigmy get scared?"

"Not scared, just doesn't like you." I say taking the rather large glass of something blue. Oh well—don't have much to lose.

"Poor baby," she snorts—I love her attempts at empathy. "You look ravishing tonight,"

"I bet I do," I chuckle taking a sip of my INCREDIBLY strong drink. "You've been turned on since I left your office, I could be wearing a plumber's suit and you would still say that."

"If anyone could pull it off it would be you." She smirks, taking a step closer to me.

Her forearm brushing against mine, we like me and Bo were—a poor kept secret. Everyone knew, nobody said anything just whispered behind our backs and gawked when they could. The stolen touches, stolen gazes—they were nice, They were a thrill depending on the mood I was in. I honestly wasn't playing games with her, I did care about her—more than I probably should but sometimes I would throw myself into her to forget the rest of the world—other times it was just about her.

With Bo it was every single touch, every single glace that made my heart speed up. Every single one made me near lose control in one way or another. Maybe it was because I was actually in love with her—maybe that's what most of the control she had over me was.

Still has in a way.

"I feel like I should stay at your apartment tonight,"

"I bet you do." I smile taking another drink.

"I'll sleep on the couch if you'd like—I mean this solely as a means of keeping you safe." I smile and I think she means it—not the couch part though. But what I won't tell her is that if Bo wanted me—she would take me. I felt the power in her, saw it—her entire body changed. She wasn't just endowed with a new level of her own abilities but—the strength she possessed.

"I would like—" I look over my shoulder, a sudden chill shooting down my spine.

I see Kenzi and Hale flirting-Dyson and Tamsin arguing-Drake talking to some girl I don't approve of—a few Fae I recognize—but there is nothing there.

Getting paranoid I guess.

* * *

 _ **Bo's POV**_

I keep to the shadows in between the crowds of idiot, melting into the background not a single person aware of my presence. I could kill anyone of them in a heartbeat.

Dyson and Tamsin over my left shoulder arguing about whether or not Lauren knows what I am up to. Hale and Kenzi behind my right shoulder flirting—pretending that nothing has changed between them since she committed her little no-no—she never should have told him about it. That pesky little Ly-Erg, five hundred years old and still clings to Lauren like a child. Had to give him credit though for chasing me half way around the world.

I could kill them all but I wasn't here for that, so instead I just fade into the background silently watching.

Always watching her.

The pulsating throbbing of the goth-rave type of music doesn't quite fill my ears as—I'm too focused on her but it does fill my body, the vibrations too much to ignore. It put me on edge in a way, sped my heart up but it was just a dull imitation, a mockery of what comes over me as I watch her.

I can't—let me rephrase—I won't lie, when I came into myself I had lost control a bit. Took an immense pleasure in tormenting them—her. Never touched her but I took things from her, made sure she knew I was in control—I lost my temper a bit. I realize it may not have been the best approach to go about getting what I wanted.

If I wanted her attention trying to hurt her wasn't the best way to go about it, no I had to appeal to her intellectual side. If she was anything she was devoted to her work, the pursuit of knowledge and if you gave her a good puzzle well…..

I also can now realize how bitterly painful it was for her to see me, now instead of trying to force myself on her I just wait. Soon enough she'll take the bait—she has started already I know it but another move, maybe two and she'll be too engrossed in our game, so much so that she'll forget all about the pain and focus only on the pleasure.

After all to Lauren Lewis logic and rational trumped everything.

If it didn't—she would have taken me up on my offer five years ago, but no—now we have to play this silly, little game.

She will undoubtedly think this is all about the kill for me, it's not. It's pleasurable, not as pleasurable as it was in the beginning but every so often I come across someone worth my time. This though was all about the foreplay, I wanted to play her game—show her I'm not as stupid as she assumes and honestly I can't wait to see how those new abilities of hers work.

It's amusing watching them all run around worried for her safety, my intention has never been to kill her—well at least I hope it doesn't come to that.

She would eventually break or I would show her the monster she believed me to be. She would break or I would make her suffer—far more than the loss of Vex and some no-neck asshole she knew for a few months.

The thing with Lauren was she could take the all of the physical abuse one could dish out, thanks to the wonderful Light Fae and she could take a great deal of emotional abuse but the question was could she take them together-from me?

See what the rest of her little group of self-defiling rejects failed to realize is that she still loves me, loves me with everything fiber of her being. I can see it, feel it—and the way she can feel me here only proves it further.

She looks over her shoulder again looking for me—she can feel me but she doesn't know where. The fact she doesn't even mention it to Evony speaks volumes.

She still belongs to me—and she knows it.

She could tell her—mention it in passing that she thinks I am here—but instead she just searches for me and then goes back to her mundane conversation. Fake flirting and pretending to be interested in a poor excuse of a replacement for myself.

I won't lie seeing them together, seeing her touch Lauren over and over again irritated me a bit—the fact that Lauren allowed her brought on subtle waves of rage which tempted me to contemplate not waiting so long for the suffering part of my plan but so far I've managed to control myself—so far.

She would be so proud of me.

I can't help the smirk that pulls at the corner of my mouth as I begin prowling through the crowd nearing her, the lyrics of the song playing in the background just so fitting.

 _ **(I love you so much you must kill me now….)**_

I won't lie my passion for her consumes every fiber of my being to the point it's become a sickness. I've had others—so many others thorough the years but none have ever satisfy me the way she does.

I see her look back once more and my body falls still, she is looking right at me—eyes locking with my own—but does she really see me?

She turns back to Evony, leaning in close and whispering something—I'm too far to hear.

Whatever it is Evony looks pissed, she is protesting about something—what did you say my love—did you see me? It's another minute of this before Lauren hands her, her drink, leans in to kiss her softly and then begins making her way through the crowd.

Jealousy gets the better of me for a moment, my body even betraying me as I start to take step forward but then I realize a certain rarity—everyone was here which meant she would be alone.

I quickly make my way through the crowd searching for her—she is fast. I make it out into the alley and there is nothing. Groups of guys smoking and bullshitting but not what I am looking for. Walking up a few steps I find her maybe thirty feet away from me. She is just standing at the back of a cab—the door open, her hand on the roof but her attention is on something or other—looks like the wall.

Is she waiting for me?

It's a good thirty seconds before she nods to herself and slides in the back of the cab, pulling the door shut—never once does she look back to me but—I know she knows I'm watching.

What game she was playing I don't quite know…..

…But I was more than willing to play….


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Four: An Invitation-Day 3**_

 _ **(Lauren's POV)**_

I keep my eyes focused on the glisten of the neon blue light from the clock in the dashboard of the old, run down cab. Exactly twelve O' one. A new day for a new challenge.

I smirk as we turn a corner and I hear the sound of a motorcycle near a little too close—the same one that has been following me since the club. The same one I've been leading around the city for an hour—took exactly twenty minutes from the club to my apartment—we were coming up on an hour and four minutes of driving—if she really wanted me, then lets see how bad.

I wasn't insane, I could feel the wariness creep over me in the club even when I surrounded by people all of which would jump in front of me to keep her at bay—for fear of displeasing Evony of course. But now it was just me and I was very well aware of that tiny fact. Even if my mind, pride and residual anger refused to back down my body knew better, that subtle wariness now a scream pulsating through my body telling me to run—to run as far as I could get or else I will regret it.

It wasn't like I didn't live with that every second of my life anyway—what was one more to add to the list.

"Here," I say as we pull to a stop in front of my building.

I hand him the handful of cash I've been holding onto for several block and I'm sure it's more than the actual fair is but he needs to leave—it isn't safe now. As quickly as I can without seeming as I am running I slip out and beginning walking up the seventy-five foot or so sidewalk to the front door of the building.

Reaching out, hand on the handle I feel another wave of uneasiness rush through me—I spin around to scan the area but there is nothing. The yellow cab driving down the street, the cold air blowing the trees making me remember how stupid I was to not bring a jacket. My eyes continue to run over the street but there is nothing—maybe I was wrong—maybe it had been a guard Evony sent to follow me.

' _I'm here…..' I hear Bo's voice whisper those words to me._

My heart speeds up a bit, a wave of adrenaline. I didn't believe in coincidences, the letters, the killings, the feelings I was getting the all screamed that it was her—but I had no real proof. It could have been anyone, someone from my past—someone she sent—anyone.

' _Is it really you….?' I respond to her voice in my head—perhaps I was losing it._

It couldn't have been her….a tiny, perverse part of me feels a twinge of disappointment at that rather than comfort.

Bo had run off to go rule the world—from what I heard she was doing a good job at becoming the leader of the rebel Fae, the ones that had fled from prison, form responsibility—from everything other than their primal urges.

It was more than fitting for her.

Scanning the street once more, nothing changing—not even a peep other than the howl of the wind. Turning back around I push the door open and make my way in—eyes shifting between the stairs and the elevator.

Elevator pro—she wouldn't be able to catch me in it. Con—if she did that was a very tiny space to be trapped with her. Stairs pro—I could have a fighting chance of running away. Con—she could easily catch up to me.

Smirking to myself I begin up the stairs, after all, what was five floors in heels anyway?

I'm not quite sure whether it was the pro or con that made up my mind for me but it didn't much matter now, did it? I was slowly making my way up the stairs waiting for—something. Not quite sure what I'm waiting for but that nagging feeling won't leave me. Perhaps I'm just experiencing my still semi-new nature reacting to something or other. Blacktails had an excellent sense of awareness—maybe I was just tapped into it. Maybe there was nothing in particular that had me reacting this way but rather every little thing that was happening.

Typing the four digit code into the keypad I shove the door open and quickly make my way in. One hand hitting the light switch as I kick the door shut with my foot ignoring the slam it makes. Holding onto the little, multipurpose table next to the door I kick off my heels before turning to arm the lock again. Thumb hovering over the numbers but instead I pull my hand away.

What game I was playing at—I wasn't sure yet.

What I was sure of was I couldn't continue like this. I had already spent countless nights, days, hours, minutes, seconds all reliving memories of her. Yearning for her touch, the sound of her voice. Remembering the body count she racked up—remembering the night I thought I lost her—and then night where I knew I did.

That night would never be known to another soul. I had many secrets in my life but if there was one I that I will take to the grave it will be of that night.

I had spent most of the five years alternately loving and loathing her equally. Missing and hating her just as equally. It was a twisted web of emotions that had been weaved—but I had untangled myself from it and I would rather die than fall back into it routine.

She may have lost her mind, she may have reviled in the feelings of obsession and the decent into madness but I wouldn't play.

I had made a life for myself, I had a girlfriend-okay semi-girlfriend who I cared for and actually most days I was happy with. I had earned two brothers and a sister, in some ways I even earned a son. I was free. Free to come and go as I pleased, anytime I wanted I could walk away from it all.

But with her...now...there was no freedom.

Sighing heavily to myself I walk toward the kitchen. I didn't want to think about her, I wasn't afraid—it wouldn't break me as if I was some fragile butterfly but I was also was aware of the slippery slope it was to indulge in the thoughts of her.

She was like a drug—what was worse was she was my drug of choice-she used to be.

Pulling the fridge open, eyes locking with the top shelve which had a bottle of vodka, a six pack of Dark Belch, a bottle of whisky—guess Dyson was here earlier.

So many choices-not enough body mass.

The beer was strong but not strong enough, whiskey burned and I wasn't a fan. Vodka—it burned worse but I could tolerate it—guess we have a winner. Grabbing the nearly untouched bottle I unscrew the cap, tossing it into the sink before taking a gulp that burns from my lips down to the pit of my stomach. Coughing I pull the bottle away, taking a deep breath I lift it to my lips once more but froze.

I stand tense and alert as I wait. What exactly I am waiting for I don't know but then-the feeling goes away.

 _'You're losing it,' I smirk to myself taking another drink._

I lean against the island counter and take a third drink, this much smaller than my previous ones. A faint creek of the wood and every single muscle in my body freezes turning to stone. Every instinct screaming with a dire warning. Numbness spreading through my body as I get the same feeling from the club, from the motorcycle following me-I feel her.

I let the fear resonate for exactly ten heartbeats before taking another drink. A cold smirk taking over my face as I set the bottle down, hands holding onto the edge of the counter top. Anger mixing with fear and exhilaration to counteract the effects of the alcohol.

"Enjoy the drive?" I ask waiting for an answer but am answered with only an icy silence. "I **know** you're here." again there is nothing but silence and I begin to feel doubt creep in.

Was I imagining things? Had the stress and alcohol pushed me over the edge? Was I hearing what I wanted to hear? Did I want it to be her?

Turning around slowly, the edge digging into my back as I lean against it. I find what I knew all along.

She is just standing mid-way up my stairs looking down at me with a cruel smile.

"Hello human lover," she stalks down the steps, a slight bounce to her step. Deliberately she saunters over stopping only mere inches from me. Every word, every look a seductive whisper. "Although I guess I can drop the human part now, hm?" Gently she runs her hand over my tensed jaw.

She looks so intensely into my eyes that I almost forget to breathe. So intently that I almost ignore the heavy makeup accenting her already deeply vast eyes. Her thumb grazes my cheek tenderly—her hand closes abruptly-painfully gripping my chin forcing my face up a bit.

"Have you missed me as I've missed you?"

"Bo," her name rolls off my tongue effortlessly, an equal mixture of exhilaration and disgust setting in the pit of my stomach as it does.

Leaning down she brushes her cool, sticky glossed lips over mine. Ever so slowly she coaxes my lips to accept her, to surrender to her. Releasing her grip on my chin my lips part giving her what she desired—to an extent. Her lips slip between mine but I don't give in enough for her tongue to pass.

I feel her body begin to relax-bringing my knee up into her center.

I smirk and relax against the support of the island, folding my arms over my chest as I just watch her—waiting for what she would do. Never more than in this moment had I felt more anger toward her but I also wasn't drunk nor insane enough not to have an equal amount of fear.

Of all the emotions I felt staring her down, a hidden love for what she once was. A weakness, a longing, a hatred, a rage—the only one I found myself being disgusted with was the fact that despite it all there was still a subtle arousal there for her.

The tension in the pit of my stomach not completely out of fear and she knows it. I can literally see her realize it as the anger is held at bay.

"That wasn't very nice Lauren." she smirks and takes three steps back. "Is that anyway to treat a guest in your home? I mean after all you've been picking up every stray you could find, I figured you would have much better hospitality skills by now."

"They were invited."

"So was I,"

"Is that what you think?"

"It's what I know." she tilts her head as if I have moved. "I know you saw me in the club tonight."

"No,"

"You looked right into my eyes, I felt it-I know what you feel Lauren, I know it before you even feel it."

"I think you have lost more of your mind than I had initially thought." This seems to strike a chord, her right eye twitching slightly, smirk starting to fade.

"Watch yourself doctor,"

"What? Don't like it being pointed out you aren't playing with a full deck anymore?" I snort. "Then again—were you ever?"

"I said-"

"Watch myself? Yeah, Bo I heard you. My ears work just fine," I pause turning half way around to grab the bottle, taking another drink before reaching out and offering her some to which she just looks at me as though I've done something unbelievable. "Since when do you turn down vodka? Don't tell me that while you've been out playing Queen of the Underworld, you've given it up."

"You're drunk," her tone flat—disapproving—HA that is rich. Her disapproving of me.

"No. Why would you say that?" I watch as her eyes narrow, she is so frustrated at my lack of trembling at her presence. "I'm not drunk, tipsy maybe but not drunk. I just don't scare as easy as you remember."

"I think you do," her voice drops, her words almost an order.

"And I think you're insane. We all have our own opinions."

"Why go through all the trouble of getting me here just to piss me off?"

"I didn't see you in the club and I didn't invite you back to my place for a little stalker foreplay." I lie, I felt her there—thinking about it I'm sure I even saw her.

"I'm not just talking about tonight," her words are low and harsh, something resembling a growl. There was a playfulness so to speak when this started but now I can see it washing away with every passing second.

"Well then I really don't know what you're talking about." I turn away from her taking another drink as I walk around the island putting something between us. She follows suit walking into the living room, standing opposite me. Every move seemed artificial somehow, like there was no real emotion there—like she was acting out what she knew should scare me.

"You can lie to that bitch you've decided to spread your legs for and all the nice little friends you've taken from me—even to yourself but don't lie to me Lauren. I know you, know every thought in your head, every deep and dark desire. I know you want me here,"

"No Bo, I don't."

"You're the reason I am here." her voice raises and though her moves are artificial the anger isn't. "You've been calling me back here—to you. Invading my thoughts—every moment of my life."

"Well, can't help that you're delusional." it's very clear I've overstepped now-the way her features twist into something beyond anger yet not quite rage-yet.

"Do you know how easy it would be to kill you?"

"Yes,"

"Do you know the amount of pain I could bring to you if I desired it?"

"Yes,"

"Then you don't care?" she walks up to the edge of the island, hands resting atop of it as she leans in. "Has your life really become that pathetic without me, that you're willing to die just to escape it?"

"Actually," I say softly, walking the step forward to lean against it nearly mimicking her exact actions though I don't set the bottle down. "Quite the opposite."

I see the change in her—feel it.

Her right hand rises to grab me but she doesn't know me—not anymore—maybe she never truly did. The moment I ' _feel_ ' she is about to reach out for me I raise up my own hand, the bottle shattering against her face.

I drop the little piece of the handle that is left intact, running out from the kitchen, through the living room toward the door. My body slamming against the wall knocking over the little side table, the contents atop of it sliding across the floor.

Her hand wrapped around my throat, a steady stream of blood flowing down from her left temple. Jaw clenching so hard I can hear her teeth grind. Memories of the last time we found ourselves in this position coming back but I'm not that person anymore. I won't beg.

"You bitch! I should kill you!" she tightens her grip, a flash of rage that makes her unrecognizable to me. "Is that what you want? Is that what you brought me back for?!"

"I didn't bring you here!" I yell the best I can in my current position. She pulls me away from the wall just an inch—maybe two before slamming me back. "If you're going to kill me Bo, then get it over with! I have a life I would like to get on with—one that doesn't include you."

"Your life is mine," she snarls and I see what little self-control she had dissolving. A building wave of panic growing in my stomach but I'll be damned if I show her that. "You are mine."

Her words don't add to my fear or even the hurt that I will later forget I felt but rather fanned my anger like a wind to a wildfire in a dry forest. Maybe I was a little insane—maybe I was a little drunk—maybe I had, had something to prove to myself—that I had gotten over her thus my colossally bad decision to lure her here. Problem was that—I wasn't one to back down anymore and I would die before I admitted defeat to her one more time.

"Is that so?"

"Yes," she snarls again and I can't help but notice the change in her body. The strength, the way she acts it so very primal—it reminds me sort of the way Dyson would act when he was dipping into his wolf's nature.

"I guess you forgot to tell Evony that then,"

She lets go of my throat and slams her hands against the wall on the sides of my head, they go through the dry wall, little pieces falling over me. Her body pressing against mine, tip of her nose grazing my own.

"You are mine."

"No, I am not."

"Is this what your game is Lauren, you want me to make you remember?"

"Actually I would like you to crawl back to whatever rock you crawled out from."

"Why do you want me to hurt you?" her voice softens, she kisses my cheek. "I don't want to hurt you baby," she whispers kissing the start of my jaw. "But make no mistake." Her hands grab my hips with such a force a noise escapes me and I have to actively keep my hands from trying to push her away. "I will kill everyone around you that you care about, that you know, that you've ever even seen. I will make you watch helplessly as I do." She nips my earlobe. "From that man child you've seemed to have adopted." A kiss to my neck. "That bothersome little bitch that apparently latches onto anyone who will have her." Another kiss to my neck. "That vile whore who you let touch you," her grip tightens on me, a surge of anger at the mention of Evony.

"Bo," I say her name, a conscious effort to make it sound more like a moan than anything—sadly it wasn't hard. She pulls back, a gloating smirk on her lips.

"Yes lover?"

"Go fuck yourself." Her smirk vanishes and I know it is taking every last ounce of self-control of hers to keep from beating the hell out of me. I imagine she isn't use to being rejected anymore.

She sighs heavily, bringing her right hand to her temple as she smears the blood rather than wipe it away. Brining her fingers to her lips, tongue darting out to taste it before pressing her fingers roughly to my own lips.

"What's the matter—you use to love taste me." She chuckles.

"You're insane." I mumble trying to turn away from her.

"Maybe," she says softly, a sense of resolve returning. "But you are still in love with me, even underneath it all-after everything your body still begs for me." She pulls her fingers away and lets go of my hip. "Your soul aches for me as does your heart,"

"No Bo," my words the softest they have been this entire time, a stab of pain cutting through my heart that I won't be able to ignore. "I ache for who you were. That is who I love, who I long for—who I would die for. You are a sick, disgusting imitation. A mockery of what was once there."

Her lips part but I don't wait, grab the back of her neck throwing her into the wall as I begin my escape. Letting my instinct take over. Pulling the door open as I begin running down the hall not looking back—then as I near the stairs I do. I had to.

"Shit!" I hear as I crash into something, my feet suddenly soaking wet and sticky. Turning back I look at Evony who is beyond surprised. "I'm beginning to see every time I try and be sweet I get screwed over." She barks shaking her hands trying to dry them, the box of food and drinks she was carrying now all over the floor and our feet. "What are you doing any—"

"Shut up!" I blurt out and her eyebrow shoots up. "We need to go." I say grabbing her arm and pulling her along with me. "Evony come on." I bark again as we've only made it down on flight of stairs and I am still having to pull her.

"Lauren!" she growls trying to pull her arm away but between my hold, the fact she is in heels and that she now wants to know what is wrong with me she doesn't stop.

"Come on." I say needlessly, letting go of her arm as we reach the last step. Not breaking stride as I reach the door pulling it open and making it outside, I hear her start to say something but I don't stop running giving her no choice but to follow.

"Lauren!"

I hear overlapping the sound of screeching tires. I don't believe in angels but if I did I'm pretty sure I owed my Guardian one a massive thank you. Two steps into the street, Hale's car stopping maybe three feet from me, Dyson's swerving out from behind him to prevent from colliding.

"What the hell are you on?!" I hear Tamsin yell as she gets out of the passenger's side of Dyson's car.

"I could have killed you!" Hale yells sticking his head out of the window.

"What the hell is going on?" Kenzi yells as she opens her door, a similar question as Drake jumps from the backseat.

"Me first," Evony barks, hands on her hips as she stares at me.

"She was here," I say flatly, running my hand through my hair and silently cursing myself for oh so many reasons. I start to speak but the sight of Drake taking off running full speed toward the building catches me off guard, I start to try and go after him but Evony grabs me by the arms holding me in place.

"I got him," Dyson lets out running after Drake who has already vanished behind the door.

"Fuck," I mumble to myself pulling back from Evony's hold. Hands going through my hair once more as I turn and walk away from them further into the street needing a minute.

What had gotten into me?

What had I been thinking?

Why would I do that? Put myself in danger to what? Antagonize her further than she already was? Prove to who—myself that I could stand up to her? Prove to her that I could piss her off—because that is all I really did.

I had the chance to listen to her ramblings, hear what she wanted—why she was back. Get answers-but no, I decided to—I don't know what I did but it wasn't smart.

"He better be okay," I hear Tamsin say causing me to turn around.

"Don't speak to me,"

"Don't speak to you? Who do you think you are Lauren? You are nothing special, you're a doctor—who spreads her legs for the most powerful woman who will take you. Bo—The Morrigan-you think you are better than everyone and you're not."

"That's rich coming from you,"

"Whoa. Chill out," Hale says, jogging over to us.

"I know you know more about this then you're saying, more about her."

"You wish to keep your life you will remember who you are speaking too," Evony calls from the background, firmly assured that her words are enough to defuse the fuming woman.

"Threaten me again," I challenge taking a step toward her, Hale's arm extending to keep me from going any further. "I dare you,"

"She's gone!" we turn and look up to a window where Dyson was yelling out from, shaking his head.

I stare at him and for the first time in years have a genuine anger toward him. It wasn't really at him so much at the fact that he was free of her. I helped him break his bond to her—his curse. Now to him Bo was just an ex, someone he cared about once—his ties to her long ago severed.

I look from Evony to Tamsin. Neither could care less about Bo anymore, she was another thorn in their side invading their lives.

Hale—he may still feel something—maybe what he feels is more about Kenzi. I could see maybe some hesitation from him if he needed to react but I think he would be able to do what would have to be done.

Kenzi-Kenzi despite her strong exterior still felt the pain—the loss of Bo—our Bo. Maybe that was what underneath it all kept us so close. Maybe it was the shared loss, shared pain, shared love we couldn't admit aloud that cemented our bond.

I look away as Kenzi turns to look at me. I can't bare her gaze, I hadn't even once thought about how this was affecting her. I hadn't thought about what could happen if I had pissed Bo off enough, it wasn't just me my choices were going to affect.

I had made a mistake…

…..I had given into Bo once again playing her game…..

…it won't happen again…..


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Five: Four Steps -Day 4**_

 _ **(Lauren's POV)**_

 _ **8:47 a.m.**_

"How did I ever know I would find the great Doctor Lewis—hiding in her lab?"

"I'm not hiding." I reply flatly not bothering to look up from the paper I am currently writing a comment on.

"Really? Cause it's been about twenty-four hours since anybody has seen your ass." She leans against my desk, leaning over a bit to try and read what I am writing.

"Kenzi, you're in my light."

"I'm slightly bigger than a flea, how the shit can I be blocking your light?"

"Why are you up this early?" I raise an eyebrow, looking at her over the rim of my glasses keeping my head tilted down.

"We drew straws, I got the short one." She wiggles her eyebrow, giving a smirk. "Ironic right?"

"Well, you can go back home because I am fine."

"You seem like it," she snorts as I slam my folder shut finally looking up to meet her gaze. "Look, just talk to me. Lemme play Doctor Phil—or at least Jerry Springer?" she wiggles her eyebrows again; normally I would find it funny in an idiotic, simplistic way but this morning part of her charm was simply lost on me. "No one blames you."

"Tamsin does."

"You and Tamsin have some weird, no completely sure it's platonic feud going on, they could raise the price of pizza and she would find a way to blame you."

"Okay. Evony,"

"She doesn't blame you."

"She hasn't sent a single message, hasn't come to see me—nothing since yesterday morning." I pull off my glasses looking at the desk as I set them down.

"I can't believe this shit is about to come outta my mouth," she sighs shaking her head, her features scrunching up almost as if she is sucking on a lemon. "Evony has some shit going on. Eight outta ten big Light Fae were just offed. They got bodies dropping like it's raining them, and they can now be tied to you. I just—maybe she is tryna smooth it over."

"Did you really just attempt to defend Evony?" I raise an eyebrow, smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Are **you** drinking the kool-aid?"

"Maybe," she chuckles, tossing the plushy, little Yoda I have sitting next to my computer at me. I catch him, eyes shifting down to him as the brief, lighthearted moment passes. "I had to learn when I was young that life had shades of gray, that there are necessary evils—when it comes to you now—Evony is one of them."

"I'm not-what we have going on isn't about that." I look up to her, placing the little, green guy back to his designated spot.

"Maybe—maybe it should be now."

"What?" I snort, a confused smirk coming to show—until I realize she is serious. "What are you saying?"

"Bo loved you when she was this scared, confused girl. She loved you when she turned into this big, badass succubus. She even loved you when she was on her coo-coo-for-coco-puffs Rainer, destiny bullshit. She loved you during her Manson impression rampage. And she still loves you now in her—whatever phase this is. You see a theme here? It's all about you—it always has been."

"She isn't in love with me, she isn't capable of love anymore. What I am to her now is a challenge, someone that doesn't want her and to someone like her—she has an obsession, not even with me but the idea of getting me to give into her again."

"Call it what you want Lauren, she is a freight train with one destination and no signs of slowing down." She shakes her head and finally looks away, worry still heavily plaguing her features. "All I'm saying is that it isn't a bad idea to keep being BFFWS's with the baddest kid on our playground."

"If Bo is powerful enough to take out eight of the ten Light Elders in a single sitting and have some time to arrange a little present for me, Evony won't be able to do anything."

"It's better than us being on our own."

"What has gotten into you?" I snort, jaw tightening.

"I'm doing what I do and keeping shit real Lauren—someone has to. None of us are begging for another show down with her, I mean even taking out the fact that when she was half this crazy she was tossing us around like Raggedy Ann's fat cousin with a limp, none of us want to get near her. Tamsin and Hale weren't running off to go grab her—Dyson wouldn't have had Drake not ran off like a dumbass. Dyson didn't even use his wolfy-gps to track her ass down. I'm not beating down doors for a little one on one bonding time either. You're the only one who wanted—"

"I didn't want to see her."

"Then why did you bait her?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I lie, pushing the stool back as I stand up.

"I saw you Lauren, I didn't understand at the time. Why you kept looking around, unable to relax. Why you gave Evony the slip without as much as a wave to any of us. I know you baited her into showing herself—I just can't figure out why."

"I just wanted to go home, I was tired."

"I know you Lauren, and I feel I know you well enough to think that you don't even know why you did it. But I also love you enough to lie to myself about it, and say that you, the brilliant doctor has a plan just like she always has."

"I wanted to know," I admit softly, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. She stops, hand on the door but doesn't turn back around to face me. "I wanted to know for sure if it was her. I wanted to know if she was still as gone as she was the last time I saw her. I wanted to know—"

"If you still loved her?" she whispers, slowly turning to face me.

"No, I know the answer to that." I want to look away, but I wasn't that woman anymore who shied away from confrontation or the displeasing subjects. I had grown a spine the past five years and one little run in my now physco ex wasn't going to change that. "I wanted to know if I could do it. If I could look her in the eyes and—be okay."

"And were you?"

"No." I swallow back the sick feeling spreading through my chest. "But I didn't break—and that, that tells me that I will be. It tells me that when the time comes, not if but when the time comes I will be able to do what I need to."

"Well, Evony must be a fucking porn star then huh?" she snorts out in this cold chuckle, soft and pain ridden features hardening. She gives me this look, this disappointed—heartbroken look and I don't know what to say let alone feel.

Did she really think that the reason I wasn't running around like a chicken with it's head cut off was because Evony was good in bed? Was that what she had thought of me underneath it all? Did she really share Tamsin's opinion of me that I just went for the 'baddest' woman around?

I couldn't help that was who I was attracted too, who I found myself with.

I loved Bo, I loved her to the point of obsession almost. I was practically trying to commit suicide by bliss just so I could prove I was enough for her—I failed but still. I fell in love with her the moment I laid eyes on her and even though it might sound crazy I think I loved her before that. I loved how perfectly flawed she was. I loved how she tried, even if she was wrong or making the situation worse she tried her best and at the end of the day, to me, that mattered sometimes more than her getting it right. I loved how protective she was of me, for the first time I had someone who took care of me and didn't care if I wanted it or not. I had someone who made me come alive—someone who showed me that sex wasn't just about the physical need, or gratification—that it could speak volumes without ever saying a word. I loved that we could just look at each other and know what the other was thinking—that we could just slip into our own world.

There were so many things I loved about her, I still do.

But this wasn't my Bo—this was in fact as I told her, and disgusting imitation. A mockery of what was once there. And in that I found the solace that my love was dead. I mourned her as if she died because to me she did. A large part of me will never be over her, she was my first love—maybe my only real one but I wasn't going to sit around for the rest of my life—which now is not only a couple of decades, crying for her.

I couldn't.

I couldn't be that woman who shut down and became the crazy, cat lady because my ex turned into a homicidal maniac. I had in the beginning fallen into that trap—the shutdown part, not the crazy cat lady part. I went through it all, the grief and the guilt and the blame and self-loathing and the bitterness. I at times miss the bitterness, gave me such a strong outlook. But I didn't want to be bitter, I didn't want to hate Bo, and that's what I was doing. I was starting to blame her for everything, I was starting to hate the memories we shared and I wanted to keep them. I wanted to be able one day to look back and remember the love we had.

I didn't replace Bo—I just already mourned her.

* * *

 _ **3:22 p.m.**_

"Who is it this time?" I ask walking up to the boys, this body found on the dock of Hannagan's Fish and Goods dock.

"Kathryn Richards." Dyson goes to hand me the paper but I brush it off, what was the point I knew the game now. Or at least I know this part of the game.

"Say Doc, how many aliases did you use?" Tamsin's voice reaches my ears sending a wave of annoyance crashing into me. "Just want to know how many more poor, young, girl's bodies we're gonna find from your girlfriend."

"That's actually a good point." Hale lets out earning a choke from Dyson, who stood to my left trying to take a drink of his coffee. "Not the—I meant to say how many aliases did you use? Because then we would have an idea how many more victims to be prepared for, and we could start—trying to find them."

"Three more, four if you count the one I used a few years ago when I was hiding from the Fae."

"Did you get an I.D. on this victim?" Dyson asks a passing patrol officer.

"Yeah, Kathryn Richards."

"What did you get your badge from Paul Blart's Mall Cops School," Tamsin barks walking up from behind me, around Hale to this poor guy's side. "We know the name on the paper, we're asking for when you ran her prints."

"Yeah, and I am telling you her name IS Kathryn Richards, D.O.B June tenth, two-thousand and one."

"Did you get an I.D. on either of the other two bodies?" Dyson asks completely ignoring what was going on between his girlfriend and the cop.

"No, the first had no prints on record and the other body, the Light took. Why?" I ask turning around to come face to face with him, a little grin coming over his lips. "Wh-OH."

"What am I missing?" Hale asks.

"I don't believe in coincidences."

"Neither do I." my words passing a growing smirk, mimicking his own.

"Seriously, what's happening right now?"

"All I would need to do is confirm the first body's and we could go on it."

"Why wait? Have your assistants work on that, get Evony to pull some strings to find out the other girl's while we start looking for the next closest match."

"I'm sorry to interrupt this little mind-meld moment, but how about sharing with the rest of the class?"

"Glad she isn't just a bitch to the beat cops." The officer snorts at Tamsin's newest rant.

"She is matching the alias to a real person."

"It's a theory." I pipe up, more to him than her.

"It's scary when you two pull this shit, like really. Some animal thing I bet." Hale snorts pulling his phone from his pocket, shaking his head. "Some four-legged animal deal, you two got going on." He continues as he punches numbers on the pad. "Just remember wolf and panther—that would make for a fucked up looking kid. Just saying," he snorts holding the phone to his ear as he begins walking away.

* * *

 _ **5:21 p.m.**_

"Tell me we've got something," Dyson walks into the lab looking over the four of us.

Kenzi sat up on the exam table, laptop in her lap and another next to her. Drake sat at the other desk near the back of the room and Hale sat on the floor in the middle of a large pile of folders.

"She isn't going in order, I don't know who to look for."

"Look for them all."

"We are," Kenzi snaps. "Lauren picked the most freaking common names in history."

"Look harder,"

"Dyson." I let out pulling my glasses from my face. "We are looking,"

"Why don't we just go and find all of them?" Drake asks innocently.

"Sure, let's have the six of us go round up a few hundred women and lock them away for a while."

"It's not his fault." Hale jumps to his defense, him and Dyson would always be partners—brothers even but ever since everything that had happened they just weren't as close as they had once been—Hale wasn't exactly the SAME as he had once been.

"We don't have the resources to track down two hundred and twenty one-"

"Twenty-nine, I found another eight a mile outside our search." Kenzi interrupts me.

"What about The Morrgian?"

"Evony is not going to allocate a few hundred officers on a bet."

"If you ask nicely,"

"Drake, this is an US thing." I say firmly, looking over my shoulder at him.

This was an US thing even though US was an unusual term to apply to said group of people considering almost every single person had a problem with one other. I didn't trust Tamsin and vice versa, Dyson didn't trust Drake and vice versa. Hale and Dyson would dance in and out of periods where they didn't like nor trust each other. Then there was Hale and Kenzi who though have remained together I've had my suspicions about.

Perhaps we were never the type of people to completely trust one another; after all it wasn't like any of us were shiny, happy people. We all had our scars, our wounds that refused to heal. But we were all tied together by the loss of a single person and in that loss, we found a solace in each other—trust or not.

I casually look around us and see how quickly our well-built dynamic is unraveling, like a house of cards. We all had our own demons and unfortunately for most of us they were tied to a single woman.

* * *

 _ **6:17 p.m.**_

"Hey," I greet softly through a yawn as I walk cautiously into her office.

She may have been a friend, the closest thing to a girlfriend I've had since Bo. She may even be who I go to sleep next to four out of seven nights a week—but I never forgot who exactly she was. I won't lie occasionally lines get blurred, certain things have slipped but never once in a situation were I know I've crossed her have I ever forgotten who exactly she was.

"If this is about the time I'm taking away from the genetics file you wanted I'll get it finished as soon as possible,"

"Lauren,"

"Besides, preventing her from continuing this killing spree would be beneficial to you considering some crazy woman won't be running around your territory anymore,"

"Lauren," she repeats with this somber look over her features, a rarity. "I want you to hand down all of your work to your staff and put your research papers on hold."

"Are you suspending me?" my brow furrows, a hint of disbelief lacing my words.

"I am expected to surrender you to the Dark Elders tomorrow by six o' clock."

"Tomorrow—that's less than twenty-four hours."

"As much as they love the work you do for us—them—they recognize your history with Bo, and feel that it would be a grave liability to continue to have you-"

"Free?" I feel this weight beginning to crush my chest, a sick feeling spreading through me like a wildfire. "Evony I don't belong to them."

"It doesn't matter."

"You're just going to let them—take me?"

"I don't have a choice. I used every favor, every ounce of good will I had for them to give you twenty-four hours."

"What am I supposed to do with twenty-four hours?" I run my hand through my hair taking a breath, trying to wrap my mind around what was about to happen. I was supposed to be free, I wasn't supposed to belong to anyone and here I was being told that I'm going to be locked away until Bo was either found or killed?

"Lauren, I believe that you—"

"Oh spare me Evony," I snort, taking several steps back as she stands up. "You are no different then—I thought I could trust you."

"You can."

"Then why are you handing me a prison sentence."

"This isn't in my control. I could tell you to run, give you the resources but—they will find you. These are badass motherfuckers, these are the people that people like me have nightmares about. I did everything possible to buy you this time. I did because I have faith in you, and that—is something I have never said and meant. All you have to do is find her and turn her over and they will let you go, that's it."

"Sure. Let me just do that, because it's not like I would have done that already to save the young girls she has been targeting."

"Lauren,"

"No. Thank you," I hold up my hand, dipping my head to her as she had every other human do for her—funny thing though is that I wasn't human anymore yet here I was being treated like one.

I walk out of her office ignoring her call for me. I know she won't follow me out into the public area; she won't chase me down the hall or into the elevator and cause a scene. Had I pissed her off or disrespected her enough then sure, she would prove a point to everyone but that wasn't the case.

Slipping into the elevator I reach out readying to press four but my eyes lock on 'P' and I can't help the little voice in the background telling me to run.

I could run, just run now and not look back. Would I make it far before Bo or the Dark caught up to me? Probably not but then again at least I could say I tried—was running really trying?

I press four and then lean against the wall.

I couldn't leave them to clean up the mess—what cleaning? They would be tortured and then slaughtered. Evony was right; there was nothing she could do when it came to the Elders. They were feral, vicious, and moral-less creatures.

Ha. I should send Bo after them.

I shake my head, pulling my hair into a lose ponytail using the rubber band around my wrist. Trying to ignore the fact that, that thought had even wandered into my mind.

The doors pull open and I walk into the long, empty hall. My eyes finding the silver doors down toward the end of the hall to my left. That little voice from before telling me it's not too late, that Evony cared enough to not call security for at least an hour—maybe two.

"What did she-bitch want?"

I jump at Drake's words, attention flying to him as he walks up the small hall to my right where the three vending machines were, several cans of soda in his hands.

"What did I tell you about wearing your hat properly?" I smile softly, reaching up and twisting around his Raptor's cap around.

"Yes mom," he laughs, playfully nudging me with his arm as we begin walking toward the lab.

"Finally. Shit, what did you need a quickie?" Tamsin asks as I barely take a step in, when did she get here?

"No."

"What happened?" Dyson asks tossing his folder down on my desk, free hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Nothing."

"You got bullshit face." I turn to Kenzi, brow raised. "Yeah, bullshit face right there."

"It's nothing." I repeat myself walking toward my desk going for my glasses though Dyson reaches out catching my hand. I look from his touch up to his eyes, God I hated this man and loved him with a passion. Nearly everything he does I hate yet love. He always has to be the hero, sometimes it was endearing—other times it was infuriating. "If we don't find her by this time tomorrow, the Dark Elders are going to-take me."

"What?" he asks, that growl he does a little too much filling the room.

"We won't let them."

"Yes you will," I say turning to Drake. "You will because first and foremost I like all of you alive, and secondly without us—there is no one to stop her. So if we cannot catch her—or at least figure out where she is by tomorrow night I will surrender. I've been needing a vacation anyway."

* * *

 _ **8:09 p.m.**_

"I have security details outside of the closest matches within two miles, and pulled some strings with local authorities to have them periodically check out around the third mile radius."

I look up at Evony who has stormed into the room, undoubtedly pulling myself and nodding off Hale back to consciousness.

"Now you want to help?" Kenzi snorts, setting down the silver laptop in her lap down on the table.

"Kenz," Hale lets out, shaking his head.

"There are too many names, even if I could send out everyone at my disposal—there are just too many."

"How many do you have out?" Hale asks, grabbing ahold of the far corner of my desk helping himself up.

"Forty," she says through a clenched jaw, her eyes never leaving mine. I knew that look—Bo used to get it all the time, the one that says ' _the only reason I am doing this is for you'_. "Get me something concrete, something more than a long list of the world's most common, white girl names and I'll send out every single person I have to spare."

"Not that this isn't a nice little moment between the two of you but—something just occurred to me." I hear Kenzi's voice, I hear her and comprehend what she is telling me but my eyes don't leave Evony's. It's a silent thank you, a silent plea to protect me, a silent question as to why she is risking this all for me—if it was for me.

But she wasn't Bo—the language of unspoken words was lost—at least most of it.

"These girls we been finding in the mornings, and Doc says they've been dead for hours."

"What's your point?" Tamsin asks, shifting on her exam table.

"I know we're focusing on Lauren's time frame and an overall stop her from killing again but—technically don't we only have a few hours before the next girl is killed—grabbed—whatever?"

I look down at my computer screen, the time reading 8:15 p.m.

A lot of people thought Kenzi was stupid because of how she dressed and spoke—she wasn't though. Maybe she couldn't do things that I did but she was a different kind of smart. A street smart that sometimes I found more valuable than my own kind, perhaps if I had more of that then certain situations I've found myself in wouldn't have occurred.

* * *

 _ **10:48 p.m.**_

"This is fucking ridiculous." Evony snorts throwing her folder on the floor as she begins turning side to side in the roller chair, my actual desk chair.

"She's right, there is nothing here. We've been over this shit over and over again and—we've got girls everywhere. That isn't even including prostitutes, girls who changed their names—the possibilities are endless. We don't even know how Bo is picking them, for all we know it could be random." Tamsin jumps in as she always seems to do.

"There has to be a pattern," Hale grunts as he lets himself lay down on the floor, various noises coming from him as he stretches.

"What if there isn't," Evony says flatly pulling us all back out of this haunting silence we've found ourselves in all day. "What if you are giving her a knowledge she doesn't possess?"

"I think I speak for everyone when I say what?" Kenzi snorts as she tries to crack her neck.

"She is right," I say, the idea suddenly dawning on me. "We have been looking for patterns and a ritual but—Bo isn't a serial killer—at least not in the traditional sense. We can't find a pattern because there isn't one—it's a half assed plan."

"So you mean like she knows the aliases you used and," Drake pauses as he comes stumbling up from behind me. "Knows where some girl is that has the same name but—"

"There is no particular reason as to who she is picking." I chuckle softly, shaking my head at myself unable to believe I didn't realize this before. "Kenzi, search for the first nine names that pop up when you Google each of the remaining names. Print them out; Evony can get them to the cars that are already out on the streets."

"Nine?" Drake's hands rest on my shoulders as she leans down to face me.

"Bo liked the numbers three, nine, thirteen-if I'm right she is she is picking within that pool."

"Guess it's good we have someone who knows oh so much about her." Tamsin snorts as she jumps off the table. "We are really fucking lucky, lucky how you pull that out your ass right when you need to save your own ass."

"Actually, I believe I was the one who came up with it." Evony says leaning back into the chair. "Want to dispute that fact?"

* * *

 _ **11:23 p.m.**_

"Stay behind us," Dyson says as he pulls his service weapon from his holster. Guess it was just a reaction for him now because I don't honestly see him shooting Bo—but then again I never saw Bo being hunted by us.

We had taken one of the names on the list—I don't even remember which. We just all ran as Evony dispatched the Fae already out. It was less then we stared with but still a lot of names.

Dyson stands to the right of the door, Hale the left and Tamsin in the middle—they really did look like cops for the first time in my eyes. I just always saw them as well them, saw them as Fae but right now they looked just like cops—it would have been sort of cool under different circumstances. Drake was down stairs in the alley covering the backdoor and fire escape while Kenzi remained in the car. I justified my presences as being a doctor, what if someone needed help—but we all knew that wasn't the only reason.

"Police!" Dyson shouts as Tamsin kicks in the door and they swarm into the cheap, little apartment but I wait for a minute.

I already know what we're going to find—they aren't saying anything nor is anyone screaming for help as three people just kicked down their door—so Bo wasn't there and most likely we were too late.

Taking a breath I walk into the apartment and I was right. In the middle of the floor another young girl's body—the sight so familiar it barely registers now.

"She's still warm," Hale says as he bends down checking for a pulse. "Couldn't have missed her by minutes,"

"Great." Dyson lets out almost in a yell as he walks back toward the door. "Fucking great!" this time he yells, growl escaping as his hand smashes through a chunk of dry wall he passes.

"I'm gonna call it in, we might still find her tonight." Hale says with those sad eyes he gives from time to time as he jumps up to his feet and begins to follow Dyson out.

"When are you going to tell them?" Tamsin asks, shoulder bumping into mine as our eyes lock.

"I've told you, I don't know anything."

"You always know more than you say Lauren, always." She adds a little extra force as she pushes passed me. "You're like a pathological liar, always have been."

I don't bother to respond; instead my eyes dance over the girl's body. She couldn't have been over twenty years old, she was so pretty—so innocent.

Kimberly Wallace, I think was the name.

I didn't have a way of picking these names, I just did. Saw something, heard something and I put them together. I never even thought about it longer than a few seconds—and now these poor girls were dying because of it—though I don't suppose if I spent any more time picking names it would have helped.

But I just found an agonizing irony in the simplistic of it all. I picked the names randomly and now they were dying by a random choice.

* * *

 _ **11:58 p.m.**_

"Get some sleep," I say as I walk into my room and I assume Kenzi continues into hers.

Though I don't know how much sleep she will get with Hale out there on the streets looking for Bo but it was just what you said. I was tired, so tired I could feel it in my bones but I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep. I would take a shower, get ready for bed and even lay down for an hour before giving up and beginning to work again. I'm not quite sure on Kenzi's routine since I don't share a bed with her but I'm sure by one or two she'll be down stairs looking for food or pacing.

I walk into the bathroom flipping the light switch on, and stare at my reflection for a moment as I hold onto the counter for support while kicking of my shoes. Reaching up I pull my hair free from the hold of the rubber band and then pull off my scrub top, leaving me in my favorite white, spaghetti strapped shirt. I don't know why but I just always thought it was the perfect mix between cute and sexy.

Rolling my eyes at myself, a smirk playing at my lips at my stupidity. I'm here thinking about my attire with everything happening—I think I have been hanging around Evony a bit too much lately.

Turning around I look at the shower and quickly debate whether or not I NEED one. Deciding on the side of continued stinkiness I turn again. With a sigh I flick the light switch and walk back into the obscurity of my room.

Four steps was how far I made it before seeing her sitting in the chair next to the window.

This time she doesn't look playful—doesn't look challenging—doesn't look like anything other than a killer.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Six: So What I Lied-Day 5**_

 _ **(Shared POV)**_

 _ **Bo's POV**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

She walks in to the room so heavily, so aggressive—I wonder if she even realizes just how much she has changed since her little genetic experiment, oh does she love her experiments.

She shuts the door behind herself, walking straight into the bathroom staring at herself searching for something—but for what?

A smirk on my lips washing away a layer of my anger, she is searching for what's missing—she is searching for me, she just doesn't realize it yet.

My smirk growing as I watch her turn around contemplating a shower—I wouldn't turn down a show but she decides against it. Damn. Hitting the light switch and walking back into the room, her body freezing upon laying eyes on me.

"Don't scream," I warn through my continued smirk as I see her eyes shift to the doorknob. "I could make it to you before you even moved." It's not an empty threat—just not entirely meant. "How's Dyson? He didn't look too stable when he left that poor girl's apartment,"

"You were watching?"

"I'm always watching."

"That's-creepy."

"I thought you would find it—romantic? Sweet? Considerate?"

"I thought we established I haven't yet jumped off the ledge of sanity." A tiny smirk pulling at her sweet lips. "A few more run-ins with you though and I might,"

"Lauren," my voice falls short, the faint hint of footsteps approaching catching my ear.

"Doc you okay?" Kenzi's voice muffled by the walls but none the less travels to my ears.

Her eyes snap from the door to mine, this look coming over her pristine features. The exhilarating look of when your prey knows it's caught, knows it's completely at the mercy of its hunter.

The door starts to open, Lauren's lips parting and I make good on the once idle threat. Jumping from the chair to the door, a decent ten foot distance in a blink of an eye. Left hand slamming the door back shut as my right covers her mouth.

"Tell her anything," I lean forward whispering, eyes locking with hers. "Alert her in anyway and I'll kill her while you watch." Hand falling from her mouth, leaning back against the wall just enough so that when she opens the door half way I'm not visible.

"What the hell was that bullshit? Nearly knocked me on my ass, I think those Little Kitty muscles are beginning to grow finally. Bout damn time,"

"Sorry, I wasn't dressed."

"Okay, since when is it a biggie for me to see you in a bra-we got the same equipment." Kenzi snorts and I can tell she tries to come forward by the way Lauren grips the door tighter. "Can I come in or do I need special invite?"

"Kenzi, I'm a little busy at the moment."

"Busy—what were you taking care of yourself? Evony not doing her job anymore? Should I be gifting you batteries this birthday?" Kenzi laughs and tries to come forward once more. This time Lauren shuts the door a bit more, my nostrils flaring as I pick up on how nervous she is becoming. "What is wrong with—oh God, did Evony sneak in? Is she in there?"

I can see her getting tenser by the second, her breathing on the verge of becoming shallow. Her fingers wrapped around the edge of the door so tight I know it hurts. Her aura fluctuating sporadically. Kenzi wasn't stupid—she would pick up on something being off. I take a step forward and Lauren's head tilts ever so slightly toward my direction—bad move Lauren. I take another step as she takes this big, deep breath—a wave of excitement rushing through me as I wonder what she is about to do.

Would she warn Kenzi? Would she slam the door against me and try to run? Would she try and fight me to save the girl? Would she and Kenzi try and subdue me?

Oh, the possibilities were endless and riddled with excitement.

"Jesus Christ Kenz," she blurts out and stops me mid-step-the last step before there was no turning back. "Yes, you got me. I—" her voice drops, hand running through her hair as she lets the door open just a little forcing me to take a step back. "I'm wound up and-the release of endorphins an orgasm releases has been known to sooth me. I wanted to take a nap before trying to look at this with a fresh pair of eyes and it was the only way I was going to get to sleep."

"Ah—"

"Yeah, you got me okay. Big ol' pervert Doctor Lewis." She snorts, looking to her right away from us both.

"Oh, oh—no! Hey—I'm sorry I was just yanking your chain but—I mean hey, it's cool."

"Kenzi can we just not-just let me try and pull myself out of this abyss of embarrassment and then I'll come talk to you."

"Sure—yeah—I'm sorry I was just—my big mouth—"

"It's fine, we'll talk in a bit. In fact why don't you make a snack down stairs or something?"

"Sure."

"Have to admit," I pause watching her shut the door. "Didn't think you would pull that off, but that—that was fucking brilliant."

"What do you want?" she mumbles.

"Why always such the rush with you? What do you want? Why are you here?" taking a breath, snorting at her impatience as I slide back down into the chair. "You used to love foreplay, you used to love a good banter and now-you're making a girl feel like she isn't welcome."

"She isn't." the matter of fact way she response wipes the smirk from my face. "Why are you here?"

"Is it a conscious effort on your part not to say my name?" I raise an eyebrow, leaning to the left as I study her. "I'm here for SO MANY reasons Lauren," She just glares at me trying to control her breathing to the point that it's overly slow, her eyes every so often shifting to the door. "First one would be my irritation with you and involving so many people in OUR game."

"Our game?"

"I mean I knew the little group of do-gooders would be involved because let's face it, you have them so far up your ass I don't think they know how to breathe anymore without you reminding them too. But then tonight as exhilarating as it was to know you were finally playing at your potential—to see Dyson so distraught over yet another failure—I had not only a shit load of macho assholes running around causing interference but—Evony as well."

"So what, you're here to punish me?"

"I toyed with the idea but then I saw something most curious."

"Let me guess, you want me to ask what?" she snorts, grin on her lips as she folds her arms across her chest.

"With that attitude never mind,"

"Oh no, please tell me—need to rack up these special, little moments of ours." She clears her throat, my lips parting to ask what that sly comment meant but the sound of her voice cuts me off. "Please, tell me." She snorts again, jaw tightening.

"I could understand the groups of rent-a-commandos, after all you're known not to open your legs unless people are bending over backward for you-or you've been ordered to." Smirk returning to my lips as I watch her features flinch at the comment. "Makes sense for little Evony to send them out-what doesn't make sense though is why she herself is out on the streets-searching for me?"

I watch as the surprise of this fact washes over her, this little hint of happiness that Evony is out there hunting for me-all for her. A cascade of anger surges through me but other than the fact my smirk fades I manage to keep myself in control and seated.

"Who exactly is Evony too you?"

"Thought you were always watching?" she chuckles taking a single step away from me. "You already know,"

"Is she your girlfriend?" she doesn't say anything, just stares at me, judgment written all over her face. "Answer me," I demand and she just keeps staring at me—through me. "Answer me." I demand, voice growing louder as I jump up from the chair, hands once gripping the arms shoving the chair back against the wall as I do. A semi-loud thud filling room causing her attention to fly to the door. "Why is she out there looking for me?" my words a near run on snarl.

"Because she cares what happens to me."

"And why would that be?" I take a step forward but she doesn't back away, it's off putting, I can't remember the last time someone didn't back away from me with their tail between their legs.

"I don't know, maybe she doesn't like the idea of me being imprisoned by sick, sadistic, monsters because you have flown off your rocker-again."

"What are you talking about?" I see her hesitate, the doubt that comes over her—she thinks she has said too much. "Answer me." I demand.

"If you aren't dead or brought in by tomorrow I am to be turned over to the Dark Elders," she says it softly, hesitation lacing every word.

"And she would so easily turn you over?" I can't help but laugh. "You've committed yourself to her haven't you?" I take another step toward her, fits clenching. I heard what she said; it was just going to have to be dealt with later.

Now I wanted answers.

"No, but if she was—it's none of your business."

"It is my business." My voice raises as I close the distance between us, I don't touch her though—nor does she back away. "You are MY business Lauren. You are mine,"

"Yours? Again with this," she snorts, brow furrowing. "Was I yours when you were rushing off to bang everyone you could without even thinking about finding a way to control your hunger? Was I yours when you were running around making plans for your life and forgetting to consult me? Was I yours when you were on your killing sprees-this past four years you've been missing? Was I yours when you were with your 'Destiny'?" her tone hard and vicious.

Her little outburst should have added to my anger but instead it soothed it, a grin coating my lips. Eyes narrowing as I just look at her. She doesn't understand the change—she will. It may take a moment but she'll realize what she just admitted.

"Of course you would find this funny. This is all one big game to you, some big joke." She shakes her head going to side step me but I block her.

"For all of that self-righteous anger you spew over and over again trying to convince everyone—yourself included and all it takes is a few minutes near me before you slip up."

"What?" her eyes narrow, head tilting a bit to look at me. It takes but three seconds before her eyes widen a little.

"Tell me again Lauren; tell me how you don't want me here. Tell me how you don't love me anymore." My grin turning to a smile, though I know she finds it cold since her features scrunch a bit. She leans in and had I not know her; I would have thought she was going to hit me.

"I don't want you here,"

"You have a serious lying problem, I would have thought you would have rectified that by now." she scowls but her mind is only half here with me—where has the other part wandered too? Worry for Kenzi or worry for Evony? "You care for her?" the words leave my mouth before I can stop them, my voice a certain softness and she catches it.

"Why are you here?" her voice hardening, eyes narrowing as though she has suddenly gained an upper hand in this.

Maybe she had, this feel stirring deep within me was-interesting.

I faintly remember it, it's a distinct feeling that you never quite forget-well I had.

Pain.

I was biologically jealous—correction, territorial. I have always been even when I was pretending to be a human and with her it had been a new level. I was use to the feeling of jealousy-the desire to prove beyond a doubt she was mine to anyone who questioned it and that was when I was still weak and pathetic. I had managed to tolerate Evony because I didn't have time to focus on her, to many plans in motion already that required my attention. Not to mention I would take great pleasure in demonstrating just how superior I was when it came to animalistic need soon enough.

But, if she was more than a physical pass time-then I may need to find the time.

"What?" she asks curiously.

I just look at her, a subtle tremor rumbling in the pit of my stomach. Pain-oh how I loathed it. I had managed to hide from it-NO. I don't hide anymore-I managed to drown it out for years.

But for some reason the idea that Evony touching her—touching MY Lauren was anything more than a biological need—anything more than a way to be with a cheap version of me was—unthinkable.

Were there actual feelings there? Was she actually replacing me? Had she forgotten me so easily? Was she telling this-thing that she loved it?

I had thought about Lauren with other people—with Evony and it was fine. It was always in the context of lust, of desire, or satisfying a need.

I understood that, I understood that better than anyone and besides Lauren wasn't the type to wait around-but this-was she making love to Evony? Had it become more than gratification?

My mind drifts back from my thoughts, a surge of irritation pulsing within. She is just looking at me and she looks so subtly smug because Lord knows she wanted to keep her self-righteous, standing on a soap box stance with me so she would never be so brazen as to gloat openly.

"Are you in love with her?" the words leave my mouth once more before I can stop them. God I sound like that pathetic girl I was before I left, running around begging for her to love me.

"W—what?" she looks slightly taken back yet still smug.

"Do. You. Love. Her." my entire body tenses as I stare into her eyes, and I know there is a part of her that knows the effect this is causing-a part of her that enjoys it.

"You don't have a right to know that." she says with so much anger, so much distain for me it's almost exciting. A wave of accomplishment, of calmness all washing over me knowing she doesn't.

"Oh but you wish you could," I smirk knowing all too well why she can't love her—or anyone else for that matter.

"I did," her words harsh, as if I would take that as an insult. "Don't worry though, I will again."

"Oh, how cute. You think you can save me? Turn me back into the pathetic-ness I once was?"

"Who said I was talking about you?" this time as harsh as her words are there is a smirk invoking a new wave of anger—of jealousy—of possessiveness within myself.

"There is only me," I snarl stepping into her hard enough I expected her to stumble backward but she keeps her footing. "I think it's time you come to a realization Lauren, for as long as you're alive—you're mine-and only mine. Luckily for me, you just had to know what it was like to be fae." I lean in closer, tilting my head, lips hovering over her ear. "There is no escaping me."

"At least you can now recognize that I want to escape," my head jerks back, eyes locking with hers. "Progress."

My body reacts without conscious thought, shoving her back against the door trapping her between myself and the door, I'm sure there is a thud but it doesn't register. Our noses grazing one another as I glare into her eyes, jaw clenched. But she doesn't flinch. She doesn't even try to shove me away she just glares back into my eyes.

"What are your gonna cry? Hm? What happened to the badass who was trying to fight me?" I antagonize seeing her struggling to keep her features so stern. Good, she hurt like she made me. If I felt pain at her actions then so would she.

"Fuck you."

"Please tell me that's an offer." I chuckle, tilting my head eyes running along her collarbone.

"Never again." my hands slam against the door. Her eyes shutter but the rest of her remains tight and tense. It's maddening-it's a turn on. She never was one to run away from conflict-when she was pissed-and God was she hot when she was pissed.

"I can feel how aroused you are." I growl, anger bubbling up.

"I can't help how my body reacts to you-but I will never touch you again." she leans forward, lips hovering over mine but as I go to close the distance but she pulls back, cold smirk on her luscious lips. "And if you think anything different, you're not only insane—but a fool as well."

 _ **Lauren's POV**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

I see the rage building with every insult; every rebuff of her attempts at so called affection. She had a pet-peeve about being called stupid when she was-her and now it looks as though that hasn't changed.

I didn't have a death wish—I swear I don't but seeing her—this version of her and the blatant arrogance, the blatant malice in everything she did—it just—maybe it was part of being a Fae now. Maybe I was now just naturally confrontational when challenged—maybe I needed the anger to remind myself that she wasn't really her.

My own anger kept me strong, kept me from backing down to her. Her anger—her anger reminded me just how far she was from the woman I once knew.

It was a dangerous game—but a necessary one.

Her eyes narrow, even in the dimness of my room I can see how dark her eyes are. Her eyes were always dark but warm, especially when she was turned on right before they would transition too that beautiful, icy blue but this darkness was a vastness-a cold emptiness with absolutely nothing behind it.

Her nostrils fare, her body tenses—flexing as she draws in this deep breath. She looks like she is trying to keep herself in control-a control that is quickly slipping away.

She leans and I can swear she growls—not as Dyson does but this low, rumble from in her chest—maybe a snarl would be a better word.

"What is it you see when you look at me Lauren?"

I swallow hard, slightly caught off guard by that. What game was she playing? What was this all for? Why was she really here? What did she care anymore what I thought about her?

I run my eyes over her features, I saw Bo. I saw my Bo-the woman I would give my life for. Sure her features were tense; she looked slightly younger—guess that's what non-stop feeding will do for you. But she looked the same; she looked like the woman I love.

But then my eyes find hers and they are cold and dead. They are the eyes of a killer. Remorseless and enraged.

All it takes is one look in her eyes to know the difference between the women.

"I see-I see an immature child running around trying to play games she doesn't quite understand. Whatever you think you're doing, it's going to backfire and there will be no coming back for you."

"You care?"

"No, but you are dragging your feet all over my life while you're doing this. That—I care about."

"For someone running their mouth about how immature I am and how I don't know what I am doing-took you long enough to catch on." she smirks, chuckle escaping as she subtly moves her pelvis against mine.

"It took me a while to stoop down to your level of simplistic idiocy." I take a deep breath watching as the last shreds of resolve begin to melt away. "I'm not used to dealing with such levels of stupidity—after all it's been years since we were together-"

A noise of some kind escapes her and my mind runs through what could happen next. Runs over if I could actually defend myself enough to get away-maybe enough to warn Kenzi to run.

Her lips smash into mine, I try breaking away but it's in vain. Every time I try to jerk my head away but hers follows. My hands going to her shoulders, I open my mouth slightly allowing her access-she never, ever learns. Her tongue slips passed and I bite down again, hard. Hard enough that she jerks back—but I've crossed a line.

She isn't as forgiving as the first time I did this to her.

When she leans back she grabs my forearm and jerks me backward, throwing me onto the bed.

She practically jumps atop of me, and I don't fight at first—maybe it was the fact I was actually surprised that she lost control. Maybe it was the fact that memories of 'that' night came rushing back. Maybe it was for that moment I gave up—didn't care what was going to happen. Maybe it was that I just don't fear her as much as I should.

Maybe I am just as insane as she is.

Her knees dig into my pelvis rendering my legs near useless, I try and push her off multiple times as I struggle beneath her but her grip is too strong. She manages to get my hands above my head, one hand gripping both of my wrists as the other grabs my face.

"Just do it already." I bark through the pain of her hold.

"Do it?" she snorts through devilish features. "Do what?"

"Make good on your promise. Kill me already," I say, trying to ignore the pain that engulfs my heart at the memory of her words from long ago.

"I don't want to kill you-I will never kill **you** Lauren."

"What are you going to do?" a wave of panic settling in as I pick up on the emphasis of her carefully picked words.

"Admit you love me."

"What?" I ask flatly, her grip on my mouth lessening.

"Admit it."

"Get off of me." I start to struggle underneath her again seeing some level of self-control returning.

I was wrong.

She pushes herself off of me, her back turning to me as she goes for the door. Leaping off the bed I go to grab her, she shrugs me off seemingly effortless tossing me back onto the bed. Door flying open with such force I'm sure a piece of it breaks as it slams into the edge of the dresser. She is out into the hall before I can even get off of the bed again. Running out into the hall she is already at the start of the stairs.

"Kenzi! Run!" I yell panicking, I go to reach out for her who hasn't moved but she pushes me back down with a thud, this time nothing soft to break my fall.

"Oh no, Kenz. Don't run." She chuckles coldly bouncing down the stairs.

I try to make a fist with my left hand but groan out in pain, I think it's sprung. My right hand on the wall as I use the support to stand. It's a scary thought knowing that she is hardly using force with me and I am barely able to withstand it.

Making it onto my feet I run the few feet to the stairs and down them before I even realize Kenzi is being held by the throat, Bo behind her.

"What are you doing?" I snap when I reach the last step but I don't move any further.

"Oh, are you worried?" she makes this mockingly sad face, as she jerks Kenzi a bit.

"This is between you and me."

"See, this is what I've been telling her but she just doesn't seem to comprehend that." Words coming through a smirk, her head tilted down toward Kenzi.

"Kenzi don't struggle." I say—more like order as I notice that she is trying to pull at the arm around her throat.

"Oh please do." Another chuckle as she jerks her arm, Kenzi's feet lifting off the ground for a moment. "Better yet, wait until I get what I want." She laughs looking from me back down to Kenzi. "Or—I don't know, maybe i—"

"Bo." Letting out flatly, walking toward her slowly, cautiously.

"What do you know, you do remember my name."

"Of course I remember your name," words coming through a clenched jaw, my eyes meeting Kenzi's. "Let her go-please."

"Not until you start being honest lover,"

"What is she talking about?" Kenzi asks, voice breaking as she continues to struggle against the hold.

"Fine. Fine. I love you."

She snorts as she jerks Kenzi again this time hard enough that a gargled scream escapes; my body starts to move forward before she shakes her head reminding me exactly who was in charge here.

"What is that shit?" another cold snort. "Say it like you mean it!" I take a deep breath; my eyes once again locking with Kenzi's whose are now glassy. "Make me believe it or you're gonna be down another friend. Hm, you really can't keep friends can you? They just always seem to end up dying."

"I love you." I say softer, trying to relax my features. "I love you." I repeat.

"That isn't what you want to say is it?" she asks flatly, annoyance radiating off of her.

"No. I hate you-but I will tell you anything-DO anything you want if you just let her go."

"Do?" her eyebrow raises.

"Lauren!" Kenzi protests but is jerked again.

"Always so willing to whore yourself out." Her smirk fades as if I just pissed her off more than anything else I had done tonight. Her features turning serious, stone like as her eyes meet mine. A cold feeling rushing down my spine. "I hope you two don't have anything left unsaid." Her head tilts down, her fingers beginning to tighten around Kenzi's throat, the sound of her gasping for breath filling the room.

"I love you," my voice breaks, it's hardly audible even to myself. "Dammit Bo! I love you—okay?! I love you! I still love you!" I yell, voice rising with every word as I take a cautious step toward them.

"I don't believe you," she snarls jerking Kenzi again, but I can see the grip has loosened.

"Look at me-look at me!" I demand, tears filling my eyes. She complies and I can't help but feel disgust rush through me. "Look at me Bo, tell me am I lying?" my jaw clenched to the point of pain, the words physically hurting me to say-to admit. "I love you."

"Say it again."

"I love you," I take a deep breath letting my eyes shift to the wall behind her.

"Was that so hard lover," her lips curve into a smirk, as she throws Kenzi onto the floor. "I love you too babe." She looks down at Kenzi who is holding herself up, head turned back to look up at the woman she once called a sister. "Nothing personal." She winks before looking back up to me as she starts taking steps backward toward the door. "Now if you excuse me, I have some—business to attend to." She pulls the door open, this near sickening giddiness to her now. "Can't have people thinking it's acceptable to touch my girl now can I?"

She disappears into the hall, the door shutting behind her and I rush into the kitchen searching for the handheld phone—I could swear I saw it in here.

"I'm fine thanks," Kenzi's voice cuts through the room, but I don't turn around as I search for the phone. "She'll be gone before anyone gets here."

"I need to warn Evony." I mumble walking out back into the living room, eyes looking her over quickly once before moving back onto my search for the phone.

"Bo, isn't going to get near her. She is in surrounded by hundreds of scary—"

"She is out on the street with the rest of them and no-I let it slip about the Dark Elders." I continue to talk, my tone I'm sure sporadic as I search the couch for the phone. None. "She is going to go take them on before she moves onto Evony." I sigh moving to the other couch, picking up the little, black arm-pillow finding it.

"You're going to warn them?"

"Yes." I answer as I start dialing Evony's number—until Kenzi leans over the back of the couch hitting my hand almost knocking the phone out of it.

"What are you doing?"

"I think I just told you." My brow furrowing as I pull the phone away from her.

"Lauren if you warn them they will either be prepared or hide,"

"Kind of the plain." I press TALK bringing it to my ear.

"They want her-so let them have her."

"She might actually kill them Kenzi." I huff trying to walk away from her but she cuts me off.

"That might not be such a bad thing right now." She says it flatly but softly, my eyes locking with hers understanding what she is suggesting. "She kills them and you're free. They kill her and you're free-either way you're free."

"Kenzi,"

 _ **(Lauren?)**_

I stare into her eyes, still a glassy shine to them. God, what was I doing?

 _ **(Lauren? Are you okay?)**_

"Bo was just here." I say, never once breaking eye contact with her.

 _ **(Are you okay?)**_

"I'm okay—Kenzi is too." I take a breath, chest feeling heavy. "I know you're out there with Hale so make sure you tell him she is okay too."

 _ **(Fine. What did she want?)**_

Moment of truth.

 **(Lauren, are you there?)**

"She is on—"

"Don't," Kenzi whispers softly, her eyes pleading just as much as her tone.

"She is on a high, be on the lookout for another mass feeding. She wasn't making any sense, just trying to boast I guess about how we can't catch her."

 _ **(That's it?)**_

"Yeah,"

 _ **(You called me to tell me that? Why didn't you call the cops)**_ her voice wavers, I know she has picked up on something. _**(I'm not exactly doing what they are)**_ she should sound annoyed but she doesn't and that is how I know she knows something is off.

"She almost killed Kenzi-and I got hurt a little-I was scared. I'm sorry I just called you." I sigh, eyes falling to the floor.

 _ **(Lauren,)**_ she falls silent but I hear rumbling in the background and then the sound of a car door opening and then closing. _**(It'll be okay, Kenzi is fine and you are fine.)**_

"I know,"

 _ **(I can't be there-I have to try and find her otherwise I will have no choice tomorrow and Lauren,)**_

"What?" I ask softly, too much hesitation there for her not to be waiting for a response of some kind.

 _ **(I don't know if I will be able too.)**_

"Don't worry about it, like you said we are fine."

 _ **(Did you hear me?)**_

"I did, we'll talk later."

 _ **(Lauren?)**_ I hang up the phone on her without a reply, looking up to find Kenzi staring at me inquisitively.

"I'm not going to ask what that was,"

"Good." I look away tossing the phone back on the couch.

"We can't tell anyone about this, you know that right?"

"You mean I can't tell Evony,"

"I mean anyone,"

"So you won't tell Hale?" I ask turning back around to face her.

"No,"

"Since when did it become so normal to lie to our friends?" I ask, it's harsh and cold. She thinks it's an insult directed only at her—it was more at myself—more in general rather than directed at her but it doesn't matter now.

"Sometimes a lie of omission is kinder than the most justified truth."

I lean against the arm of the couch, her words sinking in.

It was true-sometimes a lie was kinder than the truth—at least that's how I justified mine.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Seven: The Change A Can Day Bring**_

 _ **(Shared POV)**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **Lauren's POV**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **Day 6**_

 _ **10:27 a.m.**_

"Anything?"

"No," I say flatly in between a sip of coffee, never once taking my eyes off of the hand held and cell phone that laid on the island countertop side by side in front of me.

"Nothing in as nothing at all like we should be shitting bricks that Bo went crazy AGAIN and went after our family nothing or nothing as in no word about the Elders yet?"

"The second, I heard from Dyson maybe two hours ago. Said they still had nothing."

"Were we wrong?" she asks softly turning around in front of the fridge, this pleading look written in her features.

"No, no you are not doing this. I went along with what you said because you seemed so sure, so assured that this was right." I wanted to continue, wanted to scold her-I didn't want to do this but I trusted her, sometimes she knew better than me so I trusted her in this but my eyes settle in on the light bruises on her neck—a wave of guilt settling in. "We made a choice, right or wrong we made it—and we'll will stick too it."

"Lauren—" she is cut off by the sound of the house phone.

The sound normally nothing special causes both of us to jump; the sound sends chills down my spine. For a moment I just freeze and stare at the little screen illuminated in neon green. I can't see her but I'm sure she is doing the same as me—I just know it.

Clearing my throat I pick it up, one deep breath before hitting 'Talk' and bringing it to my ear.

"Hello,"

 _ **(Lauren,)**_ Dyson's voice is deep, its riddled with agony and my mind begins to race, heart pounding violently within my chest. _**(Lauren, are you there?)**_

"Yes, what is it?"

 _ **(Docks, warehouse nine-twenty-two.)**_

"What's there?"

 _ **(Get here. Now.)**_ the line goes dead, my eyes moving up to meet Kenzi's.

"What is it?"

"Whatever it is, he isn't happy."

* * *

 _ **11:07 am**_

"What did you do?" he growls under his breath, storming up to before I've even shut the car door.

"Chill D-Man, we had to get dressed—got here as fast as we could." Kenzi pipes up as she shuts the passenger side door. "You know Lauren drives like she is driving Mrs. Daisy." She continues as she walks around the front of the car, I don't turn to look but I can see her out of my peripheral vision.

"Kenzi give us a minute."

"I don't think I want to bossy pants,"

"Kenzi." He growls turning to her, my hand going to his shoulder. My eyes dancing from his face to hers, a small nod that lets her know its okay.

"Was that necessary?"

"What did you do?" he asks taking a step closer trapping me between his body and the car.

"You need to be more specific, I have no clue what you are asking me."

"I wouldn't have let them take you, none of us would have."

"The Elders? That's what this is about?" I raise a brow, every passing second deciding for me without conscious decision just how far I was willing to take this lie.

"Come on," another growl as he grabs my arm and 'guides' me toward the warehouse.

"I'm not a criminal Dyson, let my arm go." I snap when we finally reach the door, his left hand still gripping my bicep as the other pulls the door open.

"That's not how they are going to see it."

"How who will see what?" I jerk my arm away walking but three steps in before finding probably the most horrific scene I had come across in a long time-maybe ever.

It's just a huge open space cluttered with nothing other than dust and support beams. Kenzi standing next to Hale off to the far right. Tamsin standing next to Evony to the far left, sporadic uniformed and ununiformed officers placed about. The large words, YOU'RE WELCOME written across the wall to my left in blood.

Across the floor blood-nothing but blood and bodies-more accurately parts of them.

"Must be nice," Tamsin mumbles storming toward me.

"Back off." I snort moving to avoid her as I try to get a closer look at the carnage.

"Evony will tire of you soon enough," she says under her breath grabbing my arm and jerking me toward her. "So will Bo because lets face it, as soon as you spread your legs—and you will—she'll have got what she wanted."

"Let. Go." I pause taking that one step into her, brow furrowing. "Of. My. Arm. Now."

"Let her go." Drake's voice cuts through the air, his footsteps growing louder as he neared from behind.

"Tell me, have you ever fought a single battle of your own?" she chuckles coldly, releasing my arm.

"We need to consider getting you out of here." He whispers in my ear, his chest pressed firmly against my back, hands on my shoulders.

"Why? She is the only one of us that is safe," Evony says coldly, icy eyes locked with my own as she walks toward us, the sound of her heels echoing through the open area. "Good game Doctor Lewis."

"Evony?"

"Address me properly." She says so flatly, so cold-it's been years since I've heard that from her in regards to myself.

I just stand there in Drake's embrace as I watch her walk out, Dyson following. I look over the carnage and then up over the officers all continuing to do their job-continuing to glare at me. Attention shifting to Hale who looks displeased but none the less will not say anything so long as Kenzi wishes it. She looks at me and it's cold yet gentle all at the same time, a little nod and I know what it means-everyone knows what it means—or at least think they do.

* * *

 _ **Day 9**_

"What are you doing?" Drake asks approaching the couch, bag of chips in one hand and a can of soda in the other.

"Trying to piece this together."

"Piece what? The missing hearts?"

"Yeah," I nod, reaching out and grabbing a chip from his bag, I wasn't much for hot-Cheetos or junk food as a whole but I had since bonding with Kenzi developed a horrible habit for eating while stressed. "Just doesn't make sense to me. How they died-that doesn't make sense, don't get me wrong she has become quite strong but—she'd doesn't have the type of strength needed to rip several Dark Fae Elders limb from limb."

"Maybe she waited till she chi sucked em'."

"No, I examined what was left of them before they were taken-it was done by hand."

"Well maybe she is stronger than you thought." He plops down next to me, taking a drink of soda. His shoulder pressing against mine as he looks down at my laptop resting on the table.

"Maybe-she isn't like this."

"She isn't a killer?" he jerks back, eyes narrowing in on me.

"I just mean, she isn't this type of killer. She has never done overkill, she has never stayed around to inflict pain—honestly apart from draining them of their chi or now posing bodies, she is rather boring for a serial killer."

"I don't know," his voice low but soft as he leans forward placing his snacks down. "Didn't seem too boring when she was killing my brother or your friend." He stands, looking down at me with those innocent eyes of his. "Wasn't too boring either when I was chasing her around Europe and Africa,"

"Drake, it's not what I meant." I let out reaching over the couch trying to grab his arm as he walks away but I miss him and he doesn't bother looking back.

* * *

 _ **Day 20**_

 _ **11:08 p.m.**_

"Hey," I greet softly, walking into her office. "I have the files on Kreaton,"

"I told you to pass that work off to your staff." She says coldly as she hangs up her phone. A simple glance is all I get.

"Well it's been a tad slow since she reached the last alias so I thought—"

"That you would disregard my orders once more? How very Doctor Lewis of you."

"Evony, please—"

"I made a senseless, imprudent mistake—I carried on a sexual relationship with you even when I found myself feeling a-warmness toward you. Warmness—a word I didn't even acknowledge until a year ago. I am a Dark Fae-I kill humans, I play with them for amusement—you proved to be exceptional so I played with you while using you. You proved more exceptional than even I foresaw, you became Fae and the shame of being with you lessened-lessened enough for me to become stupid,"

"I haven't done anything,"

"You are Lauren Lewis, the brilliant and beautiful but deadly doctor-you never make a move without knowing why." She stands up, hands on her desk—the look that resembles hurt and anger replaced by an icy smirk. "Congratulations, you've pulled one over on me." She leans up, smirk growing. "Now get the fuck out of my office."

I think of saying something—what was there to say?

She knew what I did, problem with Evony was she wasn't stupid enough to pull a half assed lie over on nor did she love me enough to pretend not to see it—Bo alternated in between those two sections from time to time—not that she was stupid—she just wasn't one for solving puzzles.

Evony was.

Instead of trying to beat a dead horse to death I give a nod and walk back out into the empty floor, it was always a tad creepy being here this late when everyone had already gone. Dozens of a dozen empty cubicles in rows all providing the perfect cover for something brave enough to lurk in the darkness of this place.

I make it to the elevator, and look to my left back into the darkness for a moment I can swear I feel something-feel her-no it's not her-I know her presence—this I don't know.

I take a single step back, eye straining to see into the cover of the shadows-my body jumps at the ding.

My eyes adverting to the welcoming light coming from the small, metal box in front of me practically begging me to enter, the doors that normally remain open no longer than a second going on ten now.

Glancing back into the darkness once more, before shaking it off and heading into the so-called safety of the light.

* * *

 _ **Bo's POV**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

She looks right passed me—she knows something is here—she doesn't realize it's me.

Slightly offended-slightly glad this time considering if she did it would run interference in my plans.

Smirking I watch her ignore her instincts yet again as she gets into the elevator walking way, when the doors close I step out from the shadows walking toward Evony's office.

Snorting to myself, glass doors yet for what? I'm standing here watching her and she doesn't even bother to look up. What advantage does it give you?

"Awe, are you gonna cry?" I chuckle walking into the office, though my smirk dims a bit as she doesn't look up from her folder.

"Was wondering how long it would take you to finally make an entrance, had to get the courage?"

"Hardly," I snort, smirk twisting into a scowl.

"Whatever you say kiddo," she tosses her pen down, leaning back in her chair. "May I help you with something or are you just here to **TRY** and intimidate me?"

"Actually," my smirk returning as I near her desk. "I thought I would skip the intimidation and go straight for the kill." My words for some reason earn a laugh, this laugh that fills the room—one that irks me further than anything else this week had. "Why are you laughing?"

"Just at your stupidity child."

"What?"

"I am Dark Fae-REAL Dark Fae, not the ninety-nine cent, watered down version you have been trying to pull off running around scaring humans and fake wolves."

"I don't think you know me as well as you think."

"I don't think you know yourself as well as you think little succubus," she laughs again as she stands, hands running over her stomach straightening out her red, dress. "Sure you have your group of idiots who can't tell their head from their ass," she walks around the side of the desk to the very edge, now in arm's length of me. "Even killed a few old Fae, ones who are so old they barely remember what their ability is-so to sum up, you've killed humans, some granny Fae and the mentally challenged-Oh I am soooooo scared."

Rage taking over my mind, my body-my right fist slamming into her cheek—she doubles over onto the desk. My hand grabbing her by the back of the hair, slamming her face against the wood twice. Leaning down, lips parting to make some remark that vanishes when she jerks back up, the base of the phone smacking it into my face.

Stumbling back she slams it against the side of my face, the plastic shattering it with this blow. She must raise her leg—I don't see it-can't through the blood. But she must considering I feel her foot, heel included slamming into my ribs causing me to fall into the chair—then to the floor-chair falling atop of me.

"Fuck," I grunt throwing the chair off of me with one arm, getting onto my knees looking over at her. She kicks off one heel and then pulls off the other, my curiosity getting the best of me as I watch this instead of getting up.

Then she comes toward me—I quickly jump to my feet, I go to throw another right hook but she catches it with her left arm, the right slamming her high-heel down into my shoulder with such force not only does it break skin but it snaps off from the shoe. Dropping what was left of the black shoe she grabs my other shoulder slamming me down onto the desk.

"Fuck you're strong!" I growl up at her, trying to push her off of me but she is like thirty Might Mouses put together. My hands finally just grabbing her biceps tightly, allowing my energy to flow her.

"Oh—no-I'm getting so weak-" she says with a mocking pout, grabbing my face and slamming my head down again. "It's amazing the things Lauren can do isn't it-" another slam, right hand grabbing my throat, the left gripping what little was showing of her old heel, ripping it forward. "And I'm not just talking about the science shit either."

Letting out a scream of pain as I hear my own bone beginning to snap, hands reach up grabbing her face, thumbs digging into her eyes-it's enough she jolts back.

"Bitch!" she snarls at me, hand wiping away the blood trickling down her right cheek from the corner of her eye.

"How's that feel?" I chuckle going toward her.

A quick, brute force series of blows between us—some landing-others caught. Each failed attempt from me only adding to my rage. She makes a mistake-she over extends in a kick and I grab her leg throwing her clear across the room, her body sliding across the desk taking what remained atop of it with her as she crashed onto the floor.

Letting out a laugh I wipe the blood from mouth before pulling out the heel from my shoulder which had already begun healing around it. Another groan of pain escaping as I do-benefit of staying so fed all the time was the fact that I didn't need to feed again to heal minor injuries. Lauren never told me about that little benefit.

"Don't feel bad Kiddo," I snort walking over to her. God victory was arousing—and as much as I hate this thing-she did give a decent fight. Caught me off guard but none the less—I still won. "You put up a good fight."

She bolts up from her motionless position, letter opener ripping through the leather of my pants along with my flesh cutting deep into my thigh.

Grabbing the side of her head I slam it into the leg of the desk four times, on the fourth the wood cracks. I pull her back, eyes running over her bloody, emotionless face readying to deal the death-dealing blow—hope Lauren won't mind too much.

Smirking, I begin to bring her face into it but find myself flying through the air slamming into the corner of the far wall almost hitting the ceiling. Falling to the floor with a heavy thud—landing just right that the letter opener is somehow pushed in deeper, a loud obscenity leaving my lips before I even look up to find the next asshole I'm about to kill.

"Rodrick," his name leaves my lips leaving a vile taste, rage not vanishing but I am smart enough to know this isn't a fight I want. "Problem?"

"You could say that." His static like, low, raspy gargle of a voice sending chills down my spine.

I grab onto the wall helping myself up, leaning down to pull the thin, metal instrument from my flesh. Fuck, must have cut an arty—too much blood. I stand back up straight, and take a few labored steps toward him. I will never stand within arm's reach but he had a thing about me standing too far away.

He also had a thing about me never looking in his eyes-I wasn't stupid.

I had seen him drive Fae far more powerful than myself insane with just a glance that lasted seconds-I wasn't about to allow that to happen.

"You said you didn't care if I killed her,"

"Evony? I don't-she is useless to me and far weaker than I had ever anticipated. "

"Then?"

"Tone little girl." His words threatening and no matter how much they irritated me I take a step back as he takes one toward me. "You have business matters to attend to."

"I've done what you've asked."

"No you haven't-you have fallen behind." He steps closer and for some reason I freeze rather than step back. "I told you I would allow your childish game with the human so long as it wouldn't interfere. I have even helped you. Provided with you with everything you would need to know about her-every piece of information known—you know her better than you know yourself now-yet you repay me by lackluster efforts."

"I have—" I'm cut off as his hand grips my throat lifting me clear off the ground, my hands ripping at his enormous arm.

"I have given you your bitch on a silver platter, I even promised to sway her Dawning toward your favor." His hand tightens, a crack of sorts that I can't figure out where it comes from other than myself. "I deserve a little gratitude."

He jerks me, and I have no choice but to look down at his face. I hated looking at him-his skin a blood red which fell somewhere between fresh and dried, skin coarse and tough. All over his body, including his face and over the top of his head were tribal tattoos in charcoal black ink that never seemed to fade. His lips were black as well—tattooed or natural I never bothered to ask. His teeth each a tiny, razor all even and black. His eyes though-his eyes were vast of color-just white.

"Can't-breath-" I struggle out, hands still clawing at his arm pointlessly.

His forearm took both of my hands to fully wrap around—well one and a half-and his bicep well both hands wouldn't even cup that. He was as tall as a basketball player but as wide as a linebacker-I would say he was maybe six-ten or eleven-again I never bothered to ask.

He tosses me onto the desk, and though it hurts I'm just happy to breath.

"Get back on task," his hand slams down on my chest keeping me from sitting up, the wood cracking underneath me. "Or else there will be consequences." He removes his hand and begins walking toward the door. I don't jump up but I do sit up to watch him.

"Consequences?" I ask softly, hand rubbing my tender throat.

I get another chill-body turning to stone as he turns around and his eyes lock with mine.

"There are things far worse than death that I can do to Lauren-remember that the next time you wish to deviate from my orders."

I swallow hard, body still but trembling on the inside-I can't tear my eyes from his-I know he has them locked with mine beyond the simplicity of the term. A new wave of fear coming over me worrying if he was about to use one of his many abilities on me-instead he releases me so to speak and walks out leaving me and an unconscious Evony.

Tilting my head side to side trying to crack something back into place I look back down at the sorry lump that was her.

"Guess you haven't outlived your usefulness yet." I snort in disgust.

* * *

 _ **Day 21**_

 _ **2:54 a.m.**_

"An offer of good will," I say with a smirk as I toss Evony's body down onto the floor—she rolls a bit and I can't help but find it amusing. The five of them stop mid action to stare at me like a bunch of Bambis who just saw their mother shot. I look over my shoulder and see the door wide open and now sort of crooked. "Yeah, sorry about that-didn't think you'd answer if I knocked."

"What are you doing here?" Lauren asks-predictable as ever.

"I came to join team Douche—Bags, can't imagine pledges are high so I expect I can skip the entry requirements of saving kitties from trees and helping little old ladies across the street."

Seeming to get a grasp on reality Drake begins to charge at me from the dining room area where Dyson and Tamsin grab ahold of him. Hale standing up from the couch and backing away to go all the way around the couch to help Kenzi pull Evony's limp body away from me.

"Is she alive?" Lauren asks, she is looking at me but I don't think the question is actually for me.

"Relax lover, she is fine."

"Okay, then you can leave."

"I think I made myself clear—"

"Membership denied, get the hell out of my house." Lauren barks-damn she is sexy as fuck when being all pissed and bossy.

"This is the thanks I get for keeping you out of Sadistic-Old-People-Jail?"

"I didn't ask you for that."

"Oh but you did," I smirk taking a step forward to match hers.

"You aren't welcomed here."

"Oh I doubt that lover-but soon it's not going to matter whether I am or not, what is going to matter is that I am the only thing that stands between you and a literal eternity of hell." I look around the room, everyone just staring at me. "Shit you are all such pussies, were you always like this?"

"We don't need your help."

"Oh but you do." I take four steps forward in what they will only see as one, I'm in front of her and I can feel them all ready to attack. "Not a single one of them will be able to keep you alive, not to mention-no me-no more humans-or pussy fae such as your three buddies over there." I smirk looking down at Kenzi. "Oh, I'm sorry almost forgot you were Fae now too."

My eyes shift back up to Lauren's who lock with mine-she is so pissed-so intrigued-that's my girl.

"This is gonna be fun." I chuckle watching the anger riddle her features. "So, so much fun."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Eight: The I In Team**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **Day 21**_

 _ **8:22 a.m.**_

"You're addicted ain't ya?"

"What?" I let out looking up to Kenzi as she leans against the fridge scowling at me.

"To the crazy bitch kool-aid."

"Again I ask what?"

"First you were sipping the Light Fae Kool-Aid, then it was Evony's brand—which B.T.W you still ain't completely off of and now," she pauses as she shakes her head and gives me this snort. "Now your sip, sip, sipping from the bat-shit-crazy Sippy cup, Bo-Bo edition."

"I'm not exactly sure what you just said-but I suddenly have this weird taste for Kool-Aid now." I raise an eyebrow and wait for her to laugh but she just glares me down. "Preferably in a Sippy cup—"

"Is THIS right here your attempt at humor cause it's not funny."

"A little bit."

"You've been dipping your cha-cha in the Dark pool a lil' too much, you've actually lost your damn mind haven't you."

"Kenzi, it is okay."

"Okay? Okay?"

"Breathe." I huff, eyes locking with hers as frustration begins to set in. "I know what I am doing."

"Oh okay-well how bout letting the rest of the troops know?"

"Letting you know what? You were here last night; you heard exactly what I heard."

"Yeah but you like-bent over and waited for the reaming."

"You are particularly vulgar this morning." Letting out a sigh I slip off the stool and slam shut my folder.

"Bo—"

"Bo has made up her mind about what she is about to do and not me nor you nor Hale can stop that. If she wants to play teammate then she is going to do that whether or not I give her permission."

"So that's it? We're team Bo again?"

"Yes, for now-make peace with the fact that she is on the team again."

"So that's it?" she calls out after me as I continue walking toward the stairs. "So that's it?" she repeats a little louder.

"Yeah, that's it."

 _ **Day 24**_

 _ **4:39 p.m.**_

"Fuck," I let out under my breath, jumping when I look up from my desk to find Bo just standing there watching me like a cat watches a mouse.

"Language doctor," she raises an eyebrow and smirks—it's almost an exact replica of the look I remember-almost.

"Why are you here?"

"Well see I haven't been getting my invite to the daily Team Goody-Two-Shoes meetings, so I figured I may as well drop by anyway—find out where my invites have been."

"Lost in the mail?"

"Why weren't you ever this feisty when we were together—could have been so much fun."

"Honestly Bo," I pull my glasses off setting them down before leaning back in my chair. "You were so far up Dyson's ass and Reigner's ass and my personal favorite-your own ass, how would you know anything about what I was like?"

"Oh," she makes this mockingly sad face, arms going across her chest. "Are your feelings still hurt about that?"

"Why are you here?"

"You are, aren't you?" she laughs with a new level of cruelty but she won't get a reaction from me. "I really think you should let that go seeing as how we are playing for the same team again."

"Speaking of, why exactly are we on the same team again?" I ask flatly, it was just supposed to be a question, a way to deflect the attention away from me but I see something.

She has a reaction to the question—or rather the answer that I don't know yet.

I can see it in the way she tenses, the way that stupid smirk of her falters—it's just for a moment but I see it.

"See you around doctor," her tone cold and flat as if I had just sucker punched her-hm, didn't think she'd slip so easy—I'll take it though.

 _ **Day 26**_

 _ **7:22 a.m.**_

"What game are you playing at Lauren?" Dyson growls the way he does, hand tightly wrapped around my bicep.

"You know I am getting extremely tired of people asking me that."

"I know you too well to believe that you've suddenly become a doormat."

"I'm not being a doormat, the best defense is offense."

"Just tell me what you're doing—let me help you." He pleads with me, that gentle look he gets in his eyes when he wants to be all noble—truth was that my plan wasn't really a plan yet so much as the foundation of a house with no walls or roof.

I couldn't let him help because one, I don't know if I can trust him-when it came to Bo.

Secondly—I couldn't let him help because I didn't know what he could help with.

 _ **Day 27**_

 _ **9:22 a.m.**_

"We had an appointment." I blurt out through a clenched jaw, feet firmly planted on the floor while my arms are over my chest.

"Lauren," she laughs icily, from underneath the sheet.

"You're playmate is about dead Casanova." My eyes running over the pale girl who lay underneath Bo, the sheet only coming up to the start of her ribs.

"Is she?" the sheet goes flying off the bed as Bo moves onto her knees. "Hey-what's your name-"

"How tactful." I smirk as I watch her lean up the bed smacking the girl on the face earning nothing more than a groan.

"Well she may have tapped out," rolling onto her ass, leaning back on her arms. I wasn't aware she could get any less modest-I was wrong. "But I am still rearing to go, care to go a few rounds?"

"You're a pig."

"A simple no would have been just fine doctor." She snares.

"Do you have DNA samples?"

"Well," she smirks running her hand along the inside of her thigh and then reaching out toward me, palm up. "Plenty there or I suppose you could go hunting for hers but I think I may have cleaned up a bit too much." Smirk followed by a wink. "You remember how much I like to clean up, don't you?"

"Are you a child?" my eyes shifting from the girl to her hand. "Do you think this behavior is scary? Sexy? Funny? Intimidating? Hurtful?" I snort as she drops her hand, features turning frigid. "It's none of the above Bo, it's just disgusting."

"Well someone certainly woke up in full bitch mode, can't say I miss waking up to that."

"And I don't miss pretending not to be annoyed by your immature sense of humor, lack of grammar, tact and simple ability to use logic passed the equivalent of a third grader."

"You," she snarls jumping off the bed almost smacking into me but I don't move. "Since taking over the band of fuck-turds you've grown quite the pair."

"Did you just say—" my question like my chuckle cut off by her hand going over my mouth. "Get the fuck off me-" I snap jerking my head back and shoving her like a child, profanity and outbursts of violence wasn't my forte but occasionally they happened.

"Shut up." She snarls grabbing me by the shoulders and pushing me around the bed. "Shut up." She snarls again, this time quieter while continuing to push me across the floor to the patio, the double doors the fly open when my weight slams into them.

"What are you—"

"You're Fae cat now right? Some bullshit like that?"

"Some bullshit like that, yeah." I snort, tilting my head to the right as I hear a heavy knock on the door.

"Well babe-hope you can land on your feet."

I go to say ' _Don't call me babe'_ and ' _What the hell does that mean'_ but I find her lips smashing into mine in a brutal, closed lip kiss before I find myself flying backward over the ledge.

I don't know what I think-or if I am even afraid because it doesn't take but a second maybe two to drop from her fourth floor, shit-ass apartment to the sidewalk.

I look up at where I fell from but she isn't there-then down to the concrete where my hands are gripping the cement. Supposed to be short, trim and proper nails extended out maybe half an inch narrowing into sharp points. I look behind myself seeing my legs are bent but knees are still off the ground, only the balls of my feet keeping me up-thank God I decided to wear gym shoes instead of heels today.

Smirking I push myself up before dusting myself off.

This is new.

 _ **Day 29**_

 _ **10:47 p.m.**_

I lean against the wall just before the stairs making sure to stay out of sight as I listen to them all, Evony and Drake included discuss what they were going to have to do with me-like I am the villain.

They think I've lost my mind or at least my grip on reality.

They make sure to start or at least end every sentience with some variation of how they care about me BUT-they fear me.

They fear ME.

Me the once human who even now cannot figure out what her abilities are. Haven't even tried once to use them but I am who they are suddenly afraid of.

A siren, a wolf-shifter, a Valkyrie-someone who melts people, someone who can smash through walls and Kenzi who is essentially immune to all Fae abilities-but me—the cat?

I smirk to myself peeking over the edge to see them in their little Scooby-Doo meeting, a meeting in which I should be invited too—hell I should be running it but no, I'm creeping about listening in like-like-like I am Bo.

Essentially they have placed me on the same level as her thus they fear me-I suppose if I ignore the hurt feelings then I understand it.

They believe they know without a doubt that she still has an effect on me-and that I have one on her.

They're right, she does have an effect on me, I am just good at hiding it—at hiding from it. But that isn't the question that matters; the question that matters is if I still have a hold on her. Perhaps the better question isn't IF but HOW MUCH of a hold I still possess and well-I'll find out soon enough.

See they look at me and think this change in my behavior is because of her—it is but not how they think. I need to detach a bit, I need to have a level head to be able to do what needs to be done—it's just easier this way.

Honestly it would be easier if I was still in my bitter, I hate the world phase but sadly I've been out of that a while and now I am only left with my rusty skills of detachment.

Even hurt, angry I hear them and I know they can't do what needs to be done.

I had hope in Evony and well she put up a damn good fight but if it wasn't for something intervening she would be dead now and Drake, my sweet baby boy-I watched his older brother get thrown around with such ease- as much as it pains me to say, Drake is not his brother, he never will come close.

Then I am left with what for support?

Tamsin who half the time doesn't-didn't remember if she was in-love with Bo. Dyson who was actually in-love with her and actively avoids contact. Hale who shies away from any fighting that a human couldn't do since his return. Then Kenzi-Kenzi couldn't do what has to be done and honestly out of everyone I believe she is the only one who gets a pass.

But none of that matters,

I know what has to be done and I will do it because that's what I've always done. I may not get the credit and praise for it like Dyson, no one is running around calling me the Knight in Shining Armor for all of the victories I've earn for the group but I guess that's because my methods are a bit more logical, a bit more underhanded, my moves are made to win while his are made to earn attention—who cares if I die so long as I die a hero—his adapted motto. I prefer to take the victory and live, but then again I was human for most of my life so living actually has value to me.

It may not seem like it with what I am preparing to do-but it does.

Life may not have the same value as when I had a future to fight for but it still has meaning—a much different meaning but one none the less.

So let them have their meetings and discuss how to 'save' me so they don't have to focus on the issue of her—so they don't have to focus on the issue of how broken a group we are.

Let them enjoy them peace while they still can.

I'll handle what needs to be done-I always do.


	10. Chapter 10

**WARNING: M RATING**

 _ **Chapter Nine: Change My Needs-Day 30**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

I don't know what I am doing—That's a lie actually, I am testing a theory-It's just an insane one that anyone in their right mind wouldn't attempt—then again it's been a LONG time since I've been in a right state of mind.

I mean this could only go one of two ways, either I was proven right and I proceed from there with the next insane portion of my plan OR I am wrong and well-I die.

Nothing new.

I lean against the hallway wall staring down her door, I have no doubt she knows I am here—or has an idea someone is here but she is her so she will cockily go about her business until I interrupt.

Looking down over myself I smirk, sweat pants, gym shoes and a formfitting white tee shirt to round it all off—the form fitting part wasn't part of my ' _ready for a fight'_ attire—I just didn't have very many sporty clothes. There is a sense of amusement to be had here that I actually dressed according for this but then again I didn't get into confrontation that wasn't of the verbal kind, it wasn't like it mattered whether or not your pants were obstructive to fluid movements if you were in a debate about supply orders for the lab.

Taking a deep breath I force myself to go forward, pushing the door open which of course is open because why would SHE lock it.

The entire space it dark, just the street and moon light coming in from the glass doors—I see her shape though standing by the bed—watching me.

"Bout damn time Doctor, thought I was going to have to take a nap or something." I don't say anything, just watch as she steps out from the shadows. "Oooh, I didn't know we were role playing. What are you supposed to be, Sporty Spice?"

"You weren't very funny when you were you—dipping your toes into insanity hasn't helped."

" **You** are going to judge my sense of humor?" she laughs coldly coming to stand in the middle of the floor, she is waiting for me to meet her-she knows why I am here. "Now that is rich."

"Are we really going to do this?" I ask, heavy steps as I begin coming half way to meet her but stop several feet before.

"Just waiting for you love."

"Don't call me that."

"Oooh, so tough. Not only are we playing sporty we're playing tough too?" wiggle of the eyebrows. "Wet dream come to life."

"Who said anything about playing?" there is something in my voice that catches her attention.

"Oh, you are actually here for a fight? You actually think you can take me?" another cold laugh filling the space as she looks around. "Please tell me I am being Punk'd right now."

"You don't know me anymore."

"I will always know you Lauren."

"Prove it." I take a deep breath and hold it as I close the distance to arm's length.

"Ladies first, kitty."

"Don't do me any favors."

"Suit yourself." Words barely finishing before her fist shot out and would've clipped me in the jaw if it wasn't for lightening quick reflexes I wasn't completely aware I had.

Each of us threw fierce blows but neither seemed to be able to solidly connect—maybe lack of actual trying. For several minutes we fought with deadly intent, but no one was able to give ground.

One punch which I thought for sure was going to miss hit her temple knocking her back a bit but reacting on instinct-or with intent-she spins around leg extending, foot landing against my ribs throwing me down onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Little off your game tonight?" I ask through labored breaths looking up at not only her hesitance toward continuing but at the blood trickling down from her temple. "Or is this really what you are capable of when not being aided by someone who is actually of some worth?"

She lifts leg to kick me, the comment getting to her but again, it's too slow and too wide—so halfhearted. I grab her foot, twisting it with just enough force and quickness that she does this little spin before landing down on the floor with me.

Extending my foot connecting with her ribs preventing her from getting back up, the second time though she is able to get up—stumbling a bit allowing just enough time for me to get up.

I was working off of two simple facts, one being intuition-I may not know how to fight but apparently my body is well aware of how to defend itself. Two, if I was going to actually test my theory I needed to push her-actually push her to where I know she has slipped from control.

"Is this the best you can do?" I take a sharp breath, my ribs hurting beyond reason. "Really?" I chuckle a bit. "Tell me, did you have help when you took Evony down or did she just lay down and surrender—she tends to like the rough stuff." I smirk seeing the twinge of anger pull at her resolve.

She looks so angry now, breaths heavy as her eyes narrow—well I wanted her pissed didn't I?

I'm not sure what actually got her, the insult of her skills? The mention of Evony? The mention of me knowing what exactly Evony likes in bed and the implication then I went along with it? Or was it my lack of emotion that she was always so desperate to see.

Another smirk on my lips, I was doing a good job at hiding my true emotions at the moment.

I was doing a good job at hiding the hurt—physical and emotional. I was doing a good job at hiding the pain-different level of hurt. I was doing a good job at hiding the grief and sense of loss. I was doing a good job at hiding the love I still felt.

For a moment we just stand here staring at one another, the moon light shining in on us through the curtain covered glass. I know what I need to do. I need to further this—I need to push it to a breaking point—all this was, was an experiment.

A means to an end.

I wasn't afraid if I was wrong, I wasn't afraid of death—actually in some morbid way I was warming to the idea. Honestly our options at any end weren't looking up and death seemed like the best and easiest road at the moment—but no, that wasn't what scared me.

I wasn't even technically afraid if I was right—if I was right and what I would have to do next. I knew how to make the hard decisions for the greater good—I always have no matter the personal coast.

What scared me was that these feelings—the ones I was so sure were dead and gone-weren't so dead and gone.

What scared me was that just staring at her now, even in this moment I find myself looking past the cold, murderous, vastness in her eyes.

What scared me was that looking at her now I see a ghost.

What scared me was that this tiny voice in the back of my mind continues to whisper if I win-maybe I can bring HER back to me.

I needed to win this, I needed to know that I could still manipulate her to a degree that I had some hold on her-I needed this for my plan to save the day-I know this.

So why am I now staring at not a killer, not a monster but a ghost of the woman I love begging me to bring her back.

"Tell me something Lauren," she takes a step to the side. "Answer me honestly, do you try and differentiate me from the Bo you remember?"

"Differentiate? Big word, you finally figure out what a dictionary is?"

"Testy—testy." She smirks, another step.

"I'll answer you, if you answer me."

"Quid pro quo, I like it."

"Sometimes, sometimes I think about it as the demon inside has just taken over, possessed the woman I knew and other times I think you were just weak and gave in—either way the woman I knew is long gone." I swallow at the pain of my words. "Your turn."

"Ask away—open book."

"Does it bother you that even with everything you're capable of, everything you've done you are still just as much as a slave to your love for me as you were the day we met?"

The amusement leaves her face as my question seemingly strikes closer to home than I would ever imagined—ever hoped it would.

Fury burning brightly in her dark eyes, she takes another step the side. "It doesn't bother me—because it isn't true."

"What happened to being truthful Bo?" Seeing that I have her on the defense I proceed. "Seems like it bothers you to me."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? Because something tells me I have never been more right anything in my life. See I thought you were just insane, obsessed, lustful-you are all of those things but I was underestimating how much—I wasn't considering the possibility that you were actually still in love with me."

"Shut up."

"It doesn't matter whether I believe something has taken over the woman I knew or if you've just became something disgusting—you are still owned by your love for me."

"I AM NOT OWNED BY ANYONE!" she yells, control wavering.

"Let's be honest Bo you were never free, a prisoner of your nature or your indecisions—of your love for me and our memories. Tell me is it that you just still feel it or are you longing for the feeling of who you were then too?"

She comes to a complete stand still, eyes flashing blue—I wanted this.

"You think you have a hold on me?"

"I know I do—you've admitted it."

"Whatever pathetic lingering of interest I have in you I can easily get rid of."

"You know just as well as me that, that is a lie." I hiss, my own anger building—maybe it was my anger deciding to hide my pain.

"Is it—or do you just hope it is? Are you praying that because no matter what you've told them all—you still love me. Key word being you." Her icy smirk growing. "Do you want to know what I know Lauren? I know that despite how you play the victim at every turn you are far colder than any of us, oh I know the things you've done. All of those little sins you raked up on your little running spree. You have no place to judge what I've done."

"You know nothing about that."

"Mm-hm," she throws her head back letting out a laugh. "Same old Lauren, I bet you even think you're playing the hero now, right? Here on some self-sacrificing mission? Came because you thought I wouldn't kill you and that would give you the advantage?" her smirk turning into a smile, something in her eyes changing. "Keep dreaming, kitty."

I refused to show her it hurt so I just clench my jaw tightly, I knew she was lying—I think I know she is lying.

It doesn't really matter—I have a single goal and I made peace with what the consequences would be—either way.

Moments like this I wish I would have asked her to teach me self-defense—back when she was actually her.

"Don't do it." She warns—she knows what I'm thinking-she always seems to know what I am thinking.

If I still had any faith left I think this would be the place where I said a prayer-but I don't, so prayer less, faithless and mostly hopeless I lunge at her again.

She was expecting it but I still manage to get a hold of her face, she grabs my sides throwing me down on the ground.

A cold laugh as she moves atop of me, another series of laughs as I panic and desperately try pushing her off me—her hands fighting with mine.

I can't be exactly sure what happens next—I think I hurt her, I mean actually hurt her somehow and that combined with her hurt pride—her need to prove her humanity is gone she hits me- actually hits me with much more force than before.

Again—and again-it hurts but the shock keeps me somewhat numb.

There is a fourth time but this time it's not as hard and despite the fear I look up to face her.

She looks-scared-remorseful-sick-disgusted—terrified.

Her eyes—their dark but they are not vast—there is a trace of HER behind them.

Her hands move to my shoulders as she just stares at me—her body beginning to tremble ever so slightly.

There are tears welling in her eyes—actual tears.

"Lauren—" she pushes herself off me falling onto her ass, she uses her feet and hands to push herself back till she hits the bed.

I sit up before eventually moving onto my knees just studying her, what game was this?

Against better judgment I crawl over beside her, reaching out I go to cup her cheek but she sort of jerks away. Hesitating only a moment I do this again but ignore her hesitation and force her to look at me.

Tears still there but never falling.

"Lauren?" she lets out, voice breaking.

What is this—what game?

She latches onto my neck, breathing labored—I don't move.

It's maybe a minute like this and then finally she begins to pull back slowly, her cheek grazing mine as she does.

She doesn't pull back completely; keeping her face a few inches away from mine. When I meet her eyes I can see tears already beginning to fall. Without realizing it, my thumb is wiping them away and she looks so vulnerable, I don't think I had ever seen her this vulnerable before.

What was happening?

I don't know for how long we just stare into each other's eyes before I feel her lips on mine, those soft lips that I had kissed countless times before, but this was new, this felt like if we were kissing for the very first time. I try to pull back but I can't. My body always reacted to her, no matter the situation she just had a pull on me, but did I still have a pull on her?

I guess we were gonna find out.

Before I know it, she's sitting on the bed and I'm straddling her, my hands on the back of her neck keeping her in place. Our kisses quickly become rougher, tongues fighting for dominance as I start moving my hips against her, pulling soft moans from her that I drown with my mouth, biting her bottom lip before pulling away.

"Lauren". Her tone letting me know it was a warning. I pull back and all I can see in her eyes is icy blue. She looks scared. But I don't feel fear, I had seen her eyes like that many times, this was MY Bo.

Wait—my Bo?

I pin her on the bed and I see her close her eyes.

"Look at me Bo". I order and she complies. I spread her legs with my knee which pulls another moan from her. That should let her know who is in control here, and it's not her.

I make her sit up as I lift the top over her head, leaving goosebumps on every inch of skin my fingertips graze as I do so. I smirk as I realize she is not wearing a bra—did that mean no panties either?

Biting my lip at the thought I make her lie down again, immediately placing kisses on her neck, my hands pinning hers against the sheets, fingers intertwined.

I start lowering my mouth until I am kissing in between her chest, my hands moving down to each breast, thumbs teasing her nipples, feeling them harden under my touch, pinching them, a little harder each time—guess she still likes it that way.

I take her left nipple with my mouth, a moan escaping my lips. I always loved the taste of her skin. Running my tongue over the tip I flick it a couple of times before sucking it, biting it once it's inside my mouth and tracing circles around it with my tongue, all of this making her moan louder, her hands going to my hair, pulling with each of my movements.

Sitting up next to her I unbutton her pants and start pulling them down her body—no panties indeed. I have a hard time as they're so tight, I have to admit, I loved her in leather but it was always a bitch taking her pants off, glad I'm wearing sweats.

Once I finish my task I meet her eyes, she is giving me a hungry look and I start taking my own shirt off. I lift it over my head and waste no time before I unhook my bra, smirking as I see her lick her lips, never breaking eye contact as I toss it on the floor.

I pull down my pants along with my panties and lie down on top of her, both of us moaning at the feeling of our naked bodies together, my thigh rubbing against her center, which allows me to feel her wetness as her thigh does the same to me—no one made me as wet as Bo did.

"Good to know I can still make you dripping wet". I whisper in her ear before biting her lobe, making her shiver at my words while my hand massages her breast, fingers tracing circles around her hard nipple.

My hand starts trailing down her body until it reaches her center. I can't help but moan when I can feel completely how wet she is for me, how wet I can make her in minutes—in seconds.

"Fuck, Lau—Lauren". She lets out in between moans, opening her legs wider for me as my fingers start rubbing up and down, parting her lips and teasing her entrance, letting one fingertip slip inside just barely, enough to make her lift her hips, wanting me to go all the way, but I don't, which earns me a groan from her.

I can't help but smirk. I knew what drove her crazy, I had gotten to know her body well and that was something I would never forget.

I take her hand and bring her down my own body; hearing her let out a primal growl when she feels how soaking I am for her.

As much as I loved teasing her, there was no time for that, I needed her NOW.

I meet her eyes and whisper, husky voice filled with lust. "Fuck me, Bo". Before I finish I slip 2 fingers inside her, making her scream out, arching her back as her hands grip the sheets as tight as she can.

"Lauren! Fuck!" It's all she can say as it takes her a couple of seconds to react, but as soon as she does, she mimics my movements, entering me and we both start thrusting in and out of each other relentlessly.

We don't bother with going slow, we both needed release. It had been way too long since we had been together like this. And fuck I missed it—I missed her, she had an effect on me that no one else had.

The silence of the room being filled with our names, moans and screams of pleasure.

As I feel myself getting close, I know she is too. I curl my fingers, reaching that perfect spot every time I thrust inside her, going deeper each time.

It's not long before I make her reach ecstasy, and I follow shortly after, both of us collapsing on the bed, covered in sweat, breathless.

What have I done-this wasn't supposed to happen.

Taking a sharp breath I look over to her she is lying beside me, so close yet not touching me—as if it is a conscious effort—maybe as though she is scared.

Her scared?

I smirk at myself, which HER was it anymore?

Was I losing my mind—is that what this is now?

Was this some Fae thing? Was this some survival instinct kicking in? Am I more dark and twisted than I initially thought?

What am I doing?

I repeat that question over and over again as my breathing slows, eyes growing heavier….

…WAKE UP LAUREN…WAKE UP…..

I shake my head, squeezing my eyes shut tightly and then opening.

Did I pass out?

I look over at the clock— **4:22 a.m.—** Fuck.

I look down to find the bed empty—Fuck, fuck, fuck-how could I fuck up so bad.

Bolting upright I look down at the floor quickly slipping into my pants and shirt. Looking around the space I see nothing, no trace of her-except her clothes?

Walking further out back into the middle of the apartment I look around like the big idiot I am—nothing.

That is until my eyes catch the glimpse of the white curtains hanging over the double doors move ever so slightly. Moving closer I notice the right side is slightly ajar, taking cautious steps I move toward the door and when nothing jumps out at me I pull it open carefully as though it might be booby-trapped.

No booby-trap just Bo-Bo still naked—Bo still naked and standing atop the ledge of the balcony looking over.

This is-new.

"Was I so bad you need to jump?" she tilts her head just a bit to the right at the sound of my voice but the question seems to disgust her—hurt her as before it finishes she turns her head back away. "I have to be honest and I'm sure you'll get a kick out of this—my misery and uncertainty but I'm not really sure if I should be encouraging you to jump or making a smart ass comment or-Bo?" I let out as she doesn't move, doesn't even act as though she can hear me. "Bo?" I take a step forward—a SLIGHT concern pulling at me.

"I deserve to die."

"What?" That is unexpected.

"You know it's true—I deserve to die. I deserved to die before I even came into your life. I am death, I've always been death."

What game is this one? What is this-a ploy for sympathy? A trick of some kind?

"I thought before about ending it but I just never had the balls-I never seem to have the balls to do what I need to."

"That wouldn't have been the answer."

"But you agree it is now?"

"Bo if you jump you'll be badly hurt but that's it."

"But you agree?" she does that slight head tilt thing again and I have to look down at the ground—I don't know my answer honestly. But then again as she so kindly reminded me earlier—I wasn't the best person to pass judgment. "It's okay, you don't have to answer—I already know."

I take another step, eyes narrowing as I swear she is crying.

"Bo, come down."

"I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"Because," she sniffles softly. "I haven't decided yet."

"Decided what?"

"Don't play stupid Lauren, there isn't a bone in your body that doesn't have an IQ of under one-eighty."

"Bo, come down." I repeat myself, a little more base.

"Is it even possible, to kill myself I mean or would my survival instinct just—take over?"

"Anything is possible."

"So then you think I should try?"

"Ah so that's the game." I nod. "You want me to plead with you not to? To beg you to live? Let's see if Lauren still falls for it, is that it?"

"No—actually I'm hoping you ask me to do it."

"You want me to give you permission to try and kill yourself?" I almost laugh and take another step—she wasn't laughing though.

"Anything good I've ever done has been for you or Kenzi—mostly you."

"Bo, come down." I repeat for the third time but this time there is a slight plea to it, something isn't quite right.

"I don't deserve to live-the things I've done to you, to Kenzi and Dyson and Hale and-God the innocent people." Her voice breaks as she looks to the left, further away from me since I've been moving the opposite direction.

"Come down and we'll talk."

"Talk?" she snorts through a chuckle. "I'm sick Lauren."

"I know."

"These thoughts in my head I can't stop them, they're there every single second. I don't have a moment of clarity-until tonight."

"It's been hours."

"I know." She chuckles as her voice breaks—she's crying now. "A miracle—true miracle would have been if you ended me back in the asylum—it's okay though, I know there was still a lot of me still at the surface, if roles were reversed I wouldn't have been able to either."

"Bo,"

"They're telling me to jump-telling me to kill you-to turn it off that I'll feel so much better if I just turn it all off."

"Is that what you've been doing." Another step.

"Yes-no—maybe, I don't know honestly. If it was me turning it off completely then you're still there. Always there with me."

"You're sick Bo,"

"I know."

"If you're sick that means that you can be helped."

"Helped?" she snorts through a cold laugh. "There is no help for me-no hope Lauren. I can feel the voices pulling at the straws of my resolve—and soon—soon I'll be whatever it is I become."

"You don't know that."

"I DO!" she actually looks over at me, tears falling down her cheeks freely. She is so angry but it's the anger she gets when she is hurting. "I CAN FEEL IT LAUREN! It's like bugs under my skin all the time. Buzzards picking at my brain. This disease spreading through me until everything is dead! Even you-you're losing your hold on me—once that's gone Lauren-it's over."

"Give me back the psychotic version." I spit out and she just stares blankly. "You heard me, I would rather deal with that than this—at least that is a ghost of the woman I love—this, whatever you're doing-I don't recognize this."

"Lauren-"

"The Bo I know-my Bo would fight and fight and fight until she couldn't fight anymore. It didn't matter if she fucked up or how many times she fell or how bad she would just fight. I could swear that's what I saw-I could swear that tonight I saw that—that I let myself believe for a moment that you were in there all along fighting to come back to us—to me." I pause realizing the pain in my chest, the tears slipping down my cheeks. "My Bo—she would be more determined to fight now more than ever because this right here-it means that she still has a hold of herself—that there is a chance she can make it out of this. My Bo would recognize that if this was real than she would have me with her every step of the way."

"I'm so tired." She sobs.

"You don't think I am?! I am tired of loving you, of hating you, of wanting you, of needing you! I am tired of waking up every morning and reminding myself of who I have to be! I am tired of this life—of this me! I am tired of blaming myself for you! I am so tired that I was praying to a God I don't believe in that I would be wrong, that you would kill me tonight!"

"Wh—what?"

"I am sick and tired of it all too Bo, you think I want any of this? You think I want them looking to me? You think I want to play hero? It's not my strong suit—not this way, I loved playing your backup but now it's all on me. We were supposed to be a team, you and me—in this together no matter what remember?!"

"Of course I remember!"

"I don't think you do." I swallow back tears though some continue to fall as I maneuver myself onto the ledge next to her, my fear of heights not even registering at the moment.

"What are you doing?" she asks, almost panicked.

"You are tired and giving up when there is finally a sliver of hope? Well Bo I am tired too and I came here pretty much ready to give up-but now this-I guess I am giving up too." I peer over the ledge, sniffling." "In this together remember?"

"Lauren don't." she growls grabbing my wrist.

"All I've learned tonight it that I-is that I will always be in love with you—that it's the best thing and the worst thing—after tonight-Bo if you aren't fighting—I won't be safe to be around them either because I won't be able to kill you if need be, not knowing-not knowing that somewhere inside of you it is still YOU. I will always hesitate with you and that is perhaps more dangerous to them than you."

"You can't be serious." She continues to growl gripping my wrist as I try to jerk it away, glassy eyes locking with glassy eyes.

"Whatever happens we are in this together," I swallow back the pain and the fear. "Either we are together in this fight for you—for saving the day or we'll be together in death." I jerk my wrist back so hard I almost lose my footing. "It's your choice Bo."

Glassy eyes peering into mine before looking over the ledge, deep shallow breaths.

She's wondering if I am in fact bluffing-I'm not.

All tonight proved was that I was a liability—I am still in love with her and it didn't matter if she went back into full evil mode—knowing Bo-MY Bo was still in there-I would do more harm than good.

If she was going to fight and slipped—it would be different, I would fight like hell to get her back because I knew she would be fighting to get back to me too.

"I deserve to die Lauren."

I say nothing.

"I don't deserve to live."

Silence.

"I'm sick."

Silence.

"Lauren—says something." She begs through a sob as she grabs my arms just below my shoulders, my own hands grabbing a hold of her elbows.

"Together." It's a broken whisper, a plea and a goodbye all at the same time.

"I—I don't know who I am anymore."

"N—neither do I." I admit but it's more for my own ears than hers.

"Oh—oh God Lauren." She lets out through a sob, desperately clawing at me as she falls to her knees on this small amount of cement we find ourselves on.

Her arms around my waist so tight I can barely breathe, my hands in her hair holding her as she cries into my stomach-cries out in pain unlike any time before.

I'm so scared-scared of everything but I just stand here-holding her.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Ten: The Future In The End**_

.

.

 _ **(Lauren's POV)**_

.

.

.

 _ **Day 34**_

Taking a deep breath I watch the world passing by beneath me, I want to feel jealous—I want to feel envious of these people who have no clue what is going on around them. I want to wish I was them but all I feel is a numbness and a strange sense of pity for them.

Though, honestly how many people really want to know the truth?

I turn around at the sound of a groan, leaning against the ledge of the balcony I just stare at her-maybe it's through her.

I know I should feel hope, that I should be rushing around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying everything to fix this—to do something more but all I find myself doing is waiting.

I'm waiting for this big, scary bad guy to come in and discover his little pet has been captured but nothing.

Another groan accompanied by the ire sound of chains rubbing together pulls me from my self pitying cloud.

Sighing to myself I slowly walk back into the apartment toward her, eyes going up to the thick, beam of wood where I have the chain hanging over. Still looks good, though I don't know if it will hold for very long, honestly I don't know if those chains will hold for long.

She is such a mystery, her biology, her mental capacity, her true power.

Eyes slowly drift down the chains until they reach her lightly blood stained fingers gripping the metal. I want to wipe it away but I'm not stupid enough to attempt getting that close to her for that long. So instead of doing my initial thought I just let my eyes follow the long stream of dried blood across the side of her hand, over her wrist and then down the length of her arm.

I wasn't so much a fan of having her hanging here like an animal but then again what choice did we have. I couldn't bring her to the compound and cage her for any number of reasons. I couldn't bring back home. So in a rare moment of coherence in the beginning she suggested this and considering my hands seem to be tied—figuratively, I went with it.

I know I'm being a coward by not telling anyone about these new developments with her—but in a way, in the coldest way I'm thinking of my own self-preservation.

Even if she is...fixed, they are going to be pissed but if I clued them in and this turns out to be another failed attempt they will eat me alive-an old, remaining part of me still feels pain at the thought of that.

Clearing my throat my eyes shift to her icy ones, a chill shooting down my spine. I'm use to the violence, the struggle but this-this stillness while she is awake frightens me on an unknown level.

Ludicrously I take a step forward narrowing our already dangerously close proximity, my own eyes locked with her's that seem-dead in away.

I can't help but wonder if somewhere inside of her there is this battle going on. This battle between the her I know and this new her. I can't help but wonder if there really is a difference or if this is just a tiny, sentimental piece of me left somewhere in the depths of my darkness.

* * *

 _ **Day 37**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

I just look down at her, staring into her eyes—a wave of pain swirling within that I didn't think I would be capable of feeling anymore. The stinging on the right side of my face pale in comparison.

"How could you?" she asks me, voice breaking as tears fill her eyes.

I don't have an answer for her.

"I was trying to protect you." I whisper, a hint of shame beginning to rise beneath my chest.

"Protect me?" she snorts and looks away from me. "You were trying to protect yourself."

"Kenzi." her name leaves my lips before my mind had decided to call her back but it's too late, she is already out of the door and down the hall.

I could go after her but for what?

No matter what I say it will not change what's happen so instead I close the door and walk back into the darkness of the apartment, toward Bo who still hasn't awaken during all of the commotion.

It's been a day nearly to the hour now that she has just hung there, head hanging down motionless as sweat pours down her body.

Was what we-what I am doing actually a detox of sorts or just a slow, torturous way of killing her?

I don't honestly know anymore.

* * *

 _ **Day 42**_

.

.

.

"You look like shit,"

My head snaps toward the door, blurry vision coming into focus. I see it's Evony but my mind doesn't quite register my situation. For a moment I want to smile, call her babe and pretend this is a life I was accepting-after all I was just dreaming about it but there is this little voice that reminds me that this isn't that life anymore.

Blinking a couple of times look around to find an unconscious Bo, hanging limply ten feet in front of me, the morning's light illuminating the room. I shift and the sound of the legs of my chair against the floor causing a squeak.

I look back over to her, exhaling heavily but to my surprise she hands me a cup of coffee and looks over at Bo.

"She looks pretty pathetic."

"Evony." I say flatly in between sips of my coffee, it had been days since I drank the last of Bo's supply.

"Relax, I've come to extend n olive branch."

"If you can't tell, I've gladly accepted." I raise an eyebrow looking up at her with a tiny hint of a smirk as I raise my already half empty cup toward her.

"Getting a little easy in your old age doctor," she chuckles and for a moment its not awkward and painful—for a moment. She turns and looks down at me, a moment of silence circling us and for a moment I see this vulnerability in her that I rarely got to see but I remember vividly.

And just as quickly as it came—it's gone.

"Thank you," I whisper heavily and look back at Bo.

"You're welcome, but that wasn't the olive branch." she pauses until I look back up at her. "I want you to come back home, bring Bo to the compound."

"Evony-"

"You've been here, away from the world Lauren you have no idea what's happening out there." she almost looks saddened for a moment before she looks at Bo obscuring my view of her face. "This guy, Riddick of whatever the hell his name is has figured out Bo isn't his puppet anymore."

"What?"

"Relax kitten, Kenzi has had your back." she looks back down at me. "We all have, shes pulled in every favor possible as I've pulled every resource to keep Bo hidden. But we're losing."

"We're?" I can't help the skepticism in my voice.

"We're as in Fae." she turns half way and places her cup down on the island behind me. "The Light have lost nearly one third of it's population withing the city."

"What?" I ask in disbelief as I stand.

"The damage is so bad they are asking me for asylum, what they don't know is I've lost nearly the same amount trying to-"

"Protect us,"

"Don't flatter yourself so much." she says coldly. "I think being alive Lauren, I like being in charge, I like my cushy life style. This fucker wants to run things, to kill everyone and everything-I'm not okay with that since he's disturbing my way of life."

"Then why not leave here."

"I don't run." she says flatly, harshly. "Bring her back to the compound, get a good nights rest and maybe you will come up with an idea to make succu-slut useful because I don't know how much longer we're going to be able to hide her."

I swallow back the feeling of tears as I watch her walk toward the door. I don't even know why there is tears but there is. Maybe because I'm not alone. Maybe because I can return home. Maybe because of all the lives lost while I've been sitting here wallowing in my own pity.

"Oh Lauren," she says looking over her shoulder at me and there is that sense of sadness from before. "Tamsin was killed the other night, the funeral is this afternoon. Perhaps after you get Bo secured enough you should make an appearance."

* * *

 _ **Day 50**_

.

.

.

"Everything looks good." I say flipping through the pages in my folder as I turn around to face her.

"Biologically." she says heavily, her features twisted in pain as they had been the past three days she has been awake and coherent.

"Yes Bo, biologically everything looks good and normal."

"I thought you said there were changes?"

"There are changes but from what I can tell they are just evolutionary changes within you. Changes that are there to stay and most likely won't effect you in the sense that we are worried about."

"Most likely?"

"Bo, we don't have the luxury of unlimited time for me to poke and prod you as much fun as that may be for me." I huff out tossing the file onto the exam table next to her.

"I don't know if I can do this." she whispers after a solid minute of silence but I cant bring myself to look her in the eyes.

"You can and you will because it's who you are."

"I don't know who I am."

"I do." this time I look up into her eyes and there is a part of me that screams liar, there is a part of her that screams the same thing but she doesn't say anything. "I know who you are Bo." this time my words actually sound like a believe them and I see a sort of comfort creep into her. She only ever needed to know I believed something to believe it too-apparently that hasn't changed.

"You know it's kind of fitting." she smirks the best she can. "The first time I found out what I was , was in a place like this and now-"

"Yeah." I force a smile, a twinge of pain settling in my heart at the memory. That was such a hopeful time, such a warm and hopeful memory and this was—I'm not sure what this moment is but it wasn't hopeful.

"So," she pushes herself off the table, hands holding onto the ledge for balance, her legs still not a hundred percent. She had lost so much strength within these past few days, the best was to get her back to fighting shape was to feed but it was a risk we couldn't afford, so we were left with time. "These shots?" she reaches over to her left picking up this eight inch by eight inch black box.

"They're the best I could come up with Bo." I snap slightly defensively.

"I wasn't-Lauren," she whispers taking a step toward me, I know I should back away but I don't. "I appreciate everything you've done for me and there is not amount of time or things I could do to every say how sorry I-"

"Bo," I give a little head shake and let my tear filling eyes drop to my hand as I rest it on her arm. "Don't." I shake my head again as I lean in and let my lips graze hers. It's only for a moment, but as comforting as it is—it's just as painful. My eyes slowly open as my hand moves up to cup her cheek, tears dampening my skin. "Not now." another whisper as pain rips through my chest like a hot poker.

"Yeah," she forces this heart-wrenching smile and nods against my embrace.

It's only seconds but it feels like eternity as we stand here near statuesque staring into each others eyes silently saying everything that needs to be said but a true eternity would never be enough time for us say aloud all that needs to be spoken, instead we'll settle for this.

We never were ones for words.

Gently I pull my hand away and we drift apart like leaves floating atop a stream.

With a sniffle I nod toward the door and through one more longing look she nods knowing what has to be done, a further reaffirmation that she is in fact my Bo again.

I wait till she is a few steps ahead of me before beginning to follow her out.

I was right, this moment was anything but warm and comforting. This wasn't a moment that I'd want to remember ten years from now—if I was still alive then. This wasn't really anything but another classic moment in the ' _Journey of Bo and Lauren'_ as she had like to call it. A painful, longing moment full of unspoken and hidden meanings while we put everything above ourselves.

Just one more affirmation that she is my Bo again, that.

So with that thought, I can admit I was wrong...

…..this is a moment of hope.


End file.
